Vorobyovy Gory is an area in the south-west of Moscow, best known for the observation deck on the high bank of the Moskva River and for the Lomonosov Moscow State University complex standing on the same hill, the main building of which is one of the seven Moscow skyscrapers.
Metro station: Leninsky Prospekt Gagarin Square
In the past,
Kaluzhskaya Zastava Square (not to be confused with simply Kaluzhskaya
Square) at the intersection of Kaluzhskoye Highway and Kamer-Kollezhsky
Val. Two post-war buildings with towers are interesting here. Such
"gates" marking the entrance to the city are a characteristic element of
Stalinist architecture, but for some reason they are not often found in
Moscow.
1 Monument to Gagarin. The monument is made of titanium
and is mounted on a tall stele, symbolizing the human desire to rise.
Gagarin himself spread his arms, resembling a rocket. At the base of the
monument there is a replica of the spacecraft lander. The monument was
erected in 1980 for the Moscow Olympics.
2 Building of the Presidium
of the Russian Academy of Sciences , 32a Leninsky Ave. One of the
brightest monuments of Soviet architecture. The new building of the
Russian Academy of Sciences began to be built in 1974, completed in the
1990s. The building has 22 floors, above which flaunts a huge gilded
structure of unknown purpose, popularly known as "golden brains".
According to some sources, this is an unrealized solar panel project,
according to others — an abstract installation on the theme of science
and space. Other finishing elements are in harmony with the gold top —
stylobate designs, as well as windows reflecting gold. All this looks a
little awkward, but if you think about it, it is original and integral.
Be sure to approach the building and examine the sculptures decorating
it. At the same time, take a look at the observation deck, which offers
a good view of Moscow State University, Luzhniki and Khamovniki. You can
get inside under the pretext of visiting the Sky Lounge restaurant on
the 22nd floor: it is very expensive there, but the view from the window
is wonderful. There is also a billiard club "Neskuchny Sad" (3rd floor)
with a restaurant menu and more humane prices.
3 St. Andrew's
Monastery in Captivity , St. Andrew's emb. 2. It is believed that the
monastery originated in the XIII century, but the first reliable mention
of it dates back to the middle of the XVI century. Stone construction
began, apparently, a century later. The name of the area is associated
not with the captives at all, but with the word "woodpile" — they were
floated down the river in this place. The monastery existed until 1764,
after which it was turned into a parish church and an almshouse. In
Soviet times it was abandoned and partially destroyed, in the 1990s it
was revived as a patriarchal compound. Three churches have been
preserved: the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (1689-1703) in the
Moscow Baroque style, the church of John the Theologian in the bell
tower (mid—XVIII century) in a more classical spirit and, finally, the
most interesting building is the single-domed church of Andrei Stratilat
(1675), built in the old Moscow style with a drum lined with colored
tiles. The residential buildings date back to the 19th century. For a
long time, the monastery was a quiet corner on the edge of the Vorobyovy
Gory, but now the bulk of the RAS building looms over it, and the Third
Transport Ring is noisy from the side. Nevertheless, if you are walking
through the Neskuchny Garden, it is worth coming here.
Metro station: Vorobyovy Gory
4 Observation deck on
Vorobyovy Gory.
5 Trinity Church on Vorobyovy Gory, Kosygina str.,
30.
6 The place of Ogarev and Herzen's oath.
Metro station: Lomonosov Prospect University
7 The main
building of Moscow State University. Before the construction of the
Triumph Palace, the tallest building in Moscow, height 240 m, number of
floors of the central span — 36. It was built in 1949-1953 (architects
L. V. Rudnev, S. E. Chernyshev, P. V. Abrosimov, A. F. Khryakov, V. N.
Nasonov). The sculptural design of the facades is the work of the
workshop of V.I.Mukhina.
8 Monument to Lomonosov. The monument
dedicated to Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, and built in 1953, is
located in the center of Lomonosov Square between the buildings of the
Chemical and Physical faculties of Moscow State University.
9 The
Botanical Garden of Moscow State University.
10 Monument to the
construction teams of Moscow State University, corner of Lomonosovsky
Ave. and Lebedev St.
1 Moscow State University Museum of Earth Science.
2 Museum-office of P.L. Kapitsa, Kosygina str., 2. ☎ +7 (499)
137-32-30. The visit is by prior arrangement.
3 Mosfilm Cinema
Concern Museum, 1 Mosfilmovskaya str.
, 4 Circus on Vernadsky Avenue
(The Great Moscow State Circus). The world's largest stationary circus
with a capacity of 3,400 people.
5 Moscow State Academic Children's
Musical Theater named after N.I. Sats, Vernadsky ave., 5 (University). ☎
+7 (495) 9307021. This theater specializes in opera, ballet and drama
performances for children. The world's first professional theater for
children.
1 Universitetskaya , Michurinsky Prospekt, 8/29. ✉ ☎ +7 (495) 363-35-87. From 3000 rubles.