Take a look around the capital, relax, take spectacular photos - these are just some of the opportunities offered by Vorobyovy Gory, one of the most scenic spots in Moscow and one of the most spectacular points of the city. In terms of height, although they do not reach the real mountains, you can see Moscow from them at a glance. However, the place became famous not only for the observation deck - on Vorobyovy Gory there is a picturesque natural reserve and the building of Moscow State University.

Attractions Sparrow Hills

Perhaps the main factor in the popularity of Sparrow Hills is the observation deck with the widest panorama of the city. It allows you to see Moscow from an unusual angle, serves as a place for photography and concerts. It is clear that there are many tourists here at any time of the year.

The observation deck was equipped simultaneously with the construction of the new main building of Moscow State University in the middle of the 20th century. It is located on highest point Sparrow Hills and offers a view of Luzhniki, the highest residential complexes and skyscrapers in Moscow, the Ostankino TV tower, the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Behind Luzhniki you can see the bell towers of the Kremlin cathedrals and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Thanks to the observation deck of the Sparrow Hills, you can watch how the face of Moscow grows and changes year after year.

Panorama of Moscow from Sparrow Hills.

The territory of Sparrow Hills is occupied by a nature reserve, founded in 1998. On the north side, it is limited by the Moskva River embankment and stretches from Gorky Park on one side to the Third Ring Road on the other. Several hiking trails with a total length of almost 2 km have been laid through the reserve. Also in the park there are beautiful Lesnoy, small and large Andreevsky ponds.

Since some areas of the reserve are difficult to access for recreation, he managed to preserve significant biodiversity. There are dozens of bird species (including rare ones) and more than 400 plant species. Mammals include squirrels, moles and shrews. In the reserve there is an opportunity to go on a thematic tour with a visit to secluded paths and ponds.

On the Sparrow Hills is the Trinity Church, on the site of which a wooden church stood in the 15th century. The new building began to be erected in the Empire style in 1811. The church survived during the invasion of Napoleon and in the Soviet period. Its interior and appearance remained unchanged.

The facade of the temple is decorated with a fresco depicting St. Alexis healing Queen Taidula. On another fresco, Sergius of Radonezh is depicted with Dmitry Donskoy during the blessing for the Battle of Kulikovo. Holy things are kept in the Trinity Church, including icons of the 17th century.

Trinity Church on Sparrow Hills.

In the 70s, a monument to Herzen and Ogaryov appeared in the forest on the slope of the Sparrow Hills, who had revolutionary ideas in their youth. It was at this place during the walk that they vowed to fight the autocracy and continue the work of the Decembrists. On the monument you can see bas-relief portraits of Ogarev and Herzen, as if facing each other. He became not only a symbol of the revolutionary movement, but also a sign of loyalty to his oath.

Sparrow Hills have long been a favorite vacation spot for guests of the capital and Muscovites. At the foot of a steep slope there are two embankments of the Moskva River: Andreevskaya and Vorobyovskaya. The embankments are very popular for cycling, skateboarding and rollerblading. There are wonderful walking areas on the embankments where you can rent bicycles. You can sign up for excursions of various durations or take a ride on a river bus.

In winter, life on Sparrow Hills does not stop - ski slopes open. Around December, trails for cross-country and alpine skiing are launched, a snowboard park is opened, and sleigh rides are organized. The entire infrastructure is attached: instructor services and equipment rental are available.

The building of Moscow State University on Sparrow Hills

The main symbol of Sparrow Hills remains majestic building Moscow State University, surrounded by a majestic park. This is an architectural example of the middle of the 20th century, the construction of which began at the initiative of Stalin and was completed in 5 years - a record time for those times. The building itself and all its sculptures are classified as objects cultural significance. Inspection of the Moscow State University building can be combined with a tour of the adjacent botanical garden.

Sparrow Hills photo

The observation deck of Sparrow Hills is one of the the best places for photographing views of Moscow. Note that for shooting (and just for observation) it is worth choosing the morning hours and a little windy weather - in these cases, the haze will not spoil the magnificent picture.

Sparrow Hills
First mention:
As part of Moscow with:
Other names:	Vorobyovo (beginning of the 14th century - 1956), Sparrow steeps, Leninsky mountains (1935-1999)
	ZAO, YuZAO
	Ramenki, Gagarinsky
Metro stations:	Sparrow Hills

Vorobyovo village

Boyars Vorobyovs

Sparrow Palace

mamonova dacha

Soviet time

Main building of Moscow State University

Springboard and metro bridge

Modernity

Monument to Prince Vladimir

Sparrow Hills(in 1935-1999 - Lenin's mountains) - the name of the area in the south-west of Moscow, which is a high right bank of the Moscow River (a steep cliff of the Teplostanskaya Upland, washed away by the river), covered with a forest park. Located opposite the Luzhniki Stadium, they are considered one of the "seven hills of Moscow". They stretch from the mouth of the Setun River to the Andreevsky Bridge of the Small Ring of Moscow railway. In the east they border on the Neskuchny Garden. They rise above the Moscow River up to 80 meters.

The slope facing the Moscow River is dissected by deep ravines, along which small rivers used to run: Chura with tributaries, Krovyanka and Kotlovka; groundwater outlets (springs) occur, landslide processes are observed. The landscape of the Sparrow Hills forms a park of the same name, which includes three ponds, as well as an array of broad-leaved forests.

Sparrow Hills is one of the most beautiful places in Moscow. The high right bank of the Moskva River at all times attracted attention with its dense forest, complex terrain and wonderful views of the river. Sparrow Hills offers the widest and most picturesque panorama of the capital.

General historical background

The name Sparrow Hills is named after the village of Vorobyovo, which existed here since the beginning of the 14th century, named after its original owners, the boyars Vorobyovs.

In the middle of the 15th century, Princess Sofya Vitovtovna, daughter of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vitovt and wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily I, bought the "priest village of Vorobyovo" from the descendants of the Moscow boyar Yuri Vorobyov, who in 1352 was sent by Grand Duke Simeon Gordy to Tsargrad for approval for Moscow the metropolitan see of St. Alexis, and presented it, according to her will, to her beloved grandson Prince Dmitrovsky Yuri Vasilyevich in 1453. After the death of the childless prince of Dmitrovsky in 1473, the village of Vorobyovo passed by his order to his brother Ivan III, the Grand Duke of Moscow.

Sparrow Hills also had another, more ancient name - Sparrow steeps.

On the site of the Trinity Church on Sparrow Hills in the Middle Ages, there were several successive wooden churches, the oldest of which appeared here back in the 14th century, when the village was the patrimony of the Vorobyov boyars, long before the purchase of the village by Sofya Vitovtovna, as evidenced by her spiritual diploma (in the document, Vorobyovo is called a village and, moreover, priestly). Later, the Vorobyov Palace was built here, which for several centuries became the residence of Moscow, Russian, and then Russian monarchs.

For many centuries, the Sparrow Hills were the place from where the conquerors who came to Russia looked at Moscow - in 1591 the Crimean Khan Kazy-Girey, in 1612 - the Lithuanian hetman Khodkevich, in 1812 Napoleon looked at the city from here for the first time.

From 1648 to the 18th century, at the foot of the northern part of the mountains, there was the Andreevsky Monastery, which was reopened in 2013. In the same place, next to the royal Vorobyov Palace and the settlement of the Andreevsky Monastery, there was Vasilevsky - a large estate near Moscow, known as Mamonova Dacha.

Vorobyovy Gory has long been famous for its clean, fine-grained white sand. In this regard, glass and mirror factories were built here in the 17th century: one of them is the mirror factory of Wast Heinrich Brockhausen.

Ancient times and the Middle Ages

Ancient settlement on Sparrow Hills

An ancient settlement on Sparrow Hills already existed in the 1st millennium BC. e., when a new era began - the Iron Age. As archaeological excavations of the 19th century showed, in the territory of the village of Vorobyov there were ancient settlement the so-called Dyakovo period. The same settlements were discovered in the areas of Ramenok, the Setun River and the Andreevsky Monastery.

The carriers of the Dyakovo culture were Finno-Ugric peoples. This is evidenced by more ancient than Slavic toponymy and traces of material culture. It is believed that the Dyakovites were the ancestors of the annalistic Meri and Vesi (Vepsians).

The economy of the Dyakovo people consisted of residential buildings, arable land, blacksmithing, iron-smelting and jewelry production. Farming was hoe farming, and millet, barley, wheat, and flax were grown in the fields. Iron tools were made from ore mined in swamps and were rare at first. The main game animals were beaver, elk, bear, marten. A special intensification of hunting was noted in the late period of the existence of settlements at the beginning of a new era.

The bearers of the Dyakovo culture were courageous and enterprising people - traces of active trade with neighbors were found in the settlements - glass beaded beads, arrows, horse harness items (psalia and bit), buckles, as well as jewelry of the Scythian "animal" style. The "glazed" ceramics of the Dyakovo people are indebted to the neighboring Baltic tribes - golyadi, and the champlevé colored enamel - to Eastern Europe. Dyakovtsy were sun-worshippers - solar signs adorn both utensils and jewelry.

In the VI-VII centuries AD. e. in connection with the mass migration from the west of the Slavic tribes of the Krivichi and Vyatichi to the territories occupied by the Finno-Ugric peoples, there is a change of cultures. Modern authors define it as the Meryan culture of the 6th-9th centuries - mestizo Finnish-Slavic. Some of the ancient settlements of the Dyakovo type developed into large villages, turned into boyar estates, and then into noble estates. Future ancient city Moscow becomes the center of land consolidation, and Finno-Ugric peoples and Slavs - one of the state-forming peoples of Ancient Russia.

Vorobyovo village

The owner's village of Vorobyovo grew up on the site of an ancient settlement - the settlement of the Dyakovo culture, eventually turning into a boyar economic estate. It is named after the boyar family of the Vorobyovs, who received it as a fiefdom from the Grand Dukes of Moscow for many services.

It was first mentioned in the spiritual charter of the Grand Duchess Sofya Vitovtovna in 1453 as the "priest's village of Vorobyovo", bought from the descendants of the Moscow boyar, the ambassador of the Grand Duke Simeon the Proud to Tsargrad Yuri Vorobyov (1352-1353). After the purchase, the village turns into a grand ducal residence, an ancient wooden church is being rebuilt here, a wooden palace is being built. Large colorfully painted gates led to the estate, fenced with high fences. The mansions themselves were a vast building, covered with a hewn, with numerous turrets; the passages were surrounded by railings made of turned balusters, numerous windows had glass and mica windows inserted into carved jambs. Inside the building there were tiled stoves, on the walls, upholstered in red cloth, "in gilded and azure frames" hung pictures, images, "painted in picturesque writing." A church was built nearby, furnished with exceptional luxury. Household services crowded around in chorus: baths, glaciers, cellars, granaries, cattle and stable yards, a green birch grove replaced the park; there was also a pond-cage in which they kept sturgeon, sterlet and other fish. Deer roamed freely in the grove, swans swam along the river. At the estate there were arable lands, orchards, hayfields, mills. All this economy was served by numerous yard people.

In the future, Vorobyovo more than once gets on the pages of the annals of the Grand Moscow Principality, the Russian kingdom and Russian Empire. Vorobyovo was very fond of Vasily III, Ivan IV the Terrible, Boris Godunov, Alexei Mikhailovich.

In 1949, on the territory of the village of Vorobyov, large-scale construction of a new building of Moscow State University began, which continued until 1953. And in 1956, in connection with the reorganization of the territory near the new building of Moscow State University, the village of Vorobyovo was finally demolished. Today, only the Trinity Church on Sparrow Hills reminds of him.

Boyars Vorobyovs

The Vorobyovs are a very ancient Russian boyar family, which is more than a thousand years old. Few noble families have such an ancient and rich history. He traces his ancestry from the probable ancestor of the baptist of Veliky Novgorodanovgorod posadnik of the 10th century Sparrow Stoyanovich (see also Baptism of Novgorod).

In the XIII-XVII centuries, many Vorobyov nobles served as boyars, Moscow nobles, tenants, governors, ambassadors and clerks. They have ancient roots that go back to Moscow Russia during the reign of Daniel of Moscow and Ivan Kalita. They arrived in Moscow from Veliky Novgorod, probably during the reign of Alexander Nevsky or Daniil of Moscow, along with other eminent and noble Novgorod boyar families. In Moscow, they had a large ancestral patrimony, the village of Vorobyovo, now known as the Sparrow Hills.

The Moscow boyar Yuri Vorobyov, perhaps already in 1352, before his trip to Tsargrad as a grand-ducal ambassador, owned the village of Vorobyovo near Moscow. For this trip, knowledge of the Greek language, Holy Scripture, Byzantine court etiquette and much more was necessary. This trip was not the first assignment of the Grand Duke, which was carried out by the Moscow boyar. There were other equally important and complex assignments that required high professionalism, knowledge and erudition for their implementation. The successful solution of such tasks contributed to the rise of the Vorobyov boyars in the hierarchical ladder of the Great Moscow Principality, for which they were granted this fiefdom on the Sparrow Hills. It should also be noted that already in the middle of the 14th century, the boyar Yuri had the surname Vorobyov, noted in several annalistic sources of Ancient Russia at once, then so many noble families, including eminent ones, had them only by the beginning of the 16th century. This speaks of a very high social status boyar Yuri Vorobyov at the court of the Grand Duke of Moscow and the entire ancient boyar family as a whole.

In the middle of the 15th century, the village of Vorobyovo became the property of the grand ducal family and became a favorite vacation spot for the grand dukes and tsars of Moscow, the grand ducal and royal residence. The descendants of the boyar Yuri Vorobyov gave way to his grand-ducal family. After the sale of Vorobyov, part of the large boyar family continued to live on the Sparrow Hills for more than a hundred years, until it was placed by Ivan IV the Terrible in the Oryol region. Apparently, the Vorobyovs, for the most part, enjoyed the full trust and goodwill of the grand ducal and tsarist authorities, always being close to it, trying not to participate in the conflicts of the opposing boyar groups. Proximity to the Grand Duke Vasily III, Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, and later the first Romanov tsars, who loved Vorobyovo very much and lived in it for a long time, explains the large representation of the Vorobyovs in the state authorities of the Grand Moscow Principality and the Russian Tsardom of the 16th and 17th centuries, which were constantly in their sight. Even during the oprichnina, not a single person from the family was injured. There is a legend of the Oryol nobles Vorobyovs that their distant ancestors are from the Moscow Sparrow Hills.

On the other side of the Moskva River on the Luzhnetskaya Embankment opposite the Sparrow Hills there is a chapel in honor of the Baptist of Russia, Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, at whose court the probable ancestor of the boyar family of the Vorobyovs, the Novgorod mayor Vorobey Stoyanovich, was brought up. The chapel of Prince Vladimir, whose name is rarely given to churches in Russia, is very clearly visible from the Sparrow Hills.

Sparrow Palace

Sparrow Palace - the residence of the great Moscow princes, Russian tsars and Russian emperors on Sparrow Hills in the XV-XVIII centuries.

The historians of the villages near Moscow, Vladimir and Grigory Kholmogorov, give the date of construction of the last royal palace on this site - under Princess Sofya Alekseevna in October 1684, “it was ordered to make stone basements 80 sazhens long without a arshin, 6 sazhens with half a sazhen, fifty lives , but under those mansions passage. The work was carried out by the bricklayer Arkhipka Danilov "with comrades".

The construction of the palace took several years and was completed by 1690, when Peter I was already on the throne.

The building followed the stylistic principles of the Moscow Baroque, which was common at that time in Russian architecture. The purpose of its main departments is well known thanks to the research of I. E. Zabelin and numerous documents.

In 1732-1735, a new palace was erected here according to the project of the architect I.F. Michurin. According to Cornelius de Bruin, who from here, “from the height of the Tsar’s Palace”, drew a panorama of Moscow, “there were 124 rooms in the lower dwelling of this palace, and I believe that there were the same number in the upper one. It was surrounded by a wooden wall; It is located at the height of a mountain opposite the Maiden Monastery, on the other side of the Moskva River, 3 versts west of the capital.

The historian M.P. Pogodin said that in his youth, that is, at the beginning of the 19th century, he still saw “the remains of the palace of Ivan the Terrible.” V. L. Snegirev wrote in his book about Vitberg: “Here, once, in the 16th century, the father of Ivan the Terrible, Vasily Ivanovich, built a wooden palace on a white stone foundation. Peter the Great ordered to plant a birch grove behind the palace. With the passage of time this place was abandoned; in the second half of the 18th century, the wooden mansions fell into disrepair and were dismantled. The ruins of the old foundation have been preserved. The palace was finally destroyed by the Moscow fire of 1812, after which, according to the memoirs of F. F. Vigel, even the foundation was partly dismantled.

Trinity Church on Sparrow Hills

An ancient wooden church on Sparrow Hills already existed in 1453, when Grand Duchess Sofia Vitovtovna bought the village of Vorobyovo. In addition, a parish priest lived permanently in Vorobyov. This is indicated by the spiritual diploma of the Grand Duchess, in which Vorobyovo is called a "priest's village."

The first known priest of the wooden temple of the Trinity was Father Titus, who was rector from 1628 to 1632.

As several ancient wooden churches decayed, new ones were built in their place or nearby. Finally, the current building of the temple began to be built in 1811 in the Empire style - late classicism, designed by the architect A. L. Vitberg: quadrangular in plan, with portals decorated with columns, single-dome, with a two-tiered bell tower. In 1812, M. I. Kutuzov prayed here in front of the council in Fili. The building survived during the Napoleonic invasion. Construction was completed in 1813.

The first rector of the stone church was father Jacob Ilyin. The stone temple was erected near the former wooden one. In place of the altar of the old temple, in 1811, a white stone monument crowned with a cross was erected, which has survived to this day. The porch in front of the entrance on the western facade of the bell tower and extensions on its sides appeared during the repairs of the building in 1858-61 and 1898.

In Soviet times, the Trinity Church was not closed; both its external appearance and interior escaped destruction.

Andrew's Monastery in Captives

Andreevsky Monastery in Captives is one of the oldest stauropegial monasteries in the city of Moscow, located at the foot of the Sparrow Hills. Tradition relates the emergence of the men's monastery "near Vorobyovy Kruch in Prisoners" to XIII century, however, early documentary evidence of it refers only to the middle of the 16th century. Until the end of the 16th century, the monastery was called the Transfiguration Hermitage.

The founder of the monastery is considered to be the Moscow boyar, okolnichy Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Fyodor Rtishchev.

From the middle of the 17th century, the “Teaching Brotherhood” was located within the walls of the monastery, uniting the most educated monks of that time “for the sake of book teaching”, and essentially becoming the first academic structure in Moscow in time.

With the beginning of Catherine's secularization, in 1764 the Andreevsky Monastery was turned into a parish church, since "it turned out to be hopeless for its own maintenance", and an almshouse was set up in its buildings.

During the epidemic of 1771, a cemetery was built on the territory of the Andreevsky Monastery for well-born citizens and inhabitants of Moscow monasteries.

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia of August 14, 1991, the Patriarchal Metochion was opened in the former Andreevsky Monastery with churches of the Resurrection of Christ in Captives, the Apostle Evangelist John the Theologian (Archangel Michael) and the martyr Andrei Stratilates.

Later, by the decision of the Holy Synod of July 16, 2013, the Patriarchal Compound in the former Andreevsky Monastery was transformed into the Andreevsky Stauropegial Monastery in Moscow. Bishop Feofilakt of Dmitrov, the administrator of the Southwestern Vicariate of Moscow, has been appointed vicegerent of the Andreevsky Monastery. The monastery houses the Synodal Information Department of the Russian Orthodox Church and the synodal library of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Before the revolution

At the beginning of the 19th century, on the Sparrow Hills, on the site of the Vorobyov Palace, it was planned to build the Cathedral of Christ the Savior according to the plan of the architect Karl Witberg, but it was not possible to build it here.

Since the end of the 19th century, Sparrow Hills has been a popular summer cottage for suburban recreation of Muscovites.

mamonova dacha

The so-called Mamonova Dacha is the former Vasilievskoye estate near Moscow, which belonged successively to the princes V. M. Dolgorukov-Krymsky, N. B. Yusupov and Count M. A. Dmitriev-Mamonov, by whose name it got its name. Located at the foot of the Sparrow Hills, next to the Andreevsky Monastery ( modern address- Kosygin street, 4).

At the heart of the building is a mansion of the 1730s by the architect I. F. Michurin. The manor's house acquired its current Empire-style appearance in the 1820s, under Prince N. B. Yusupov: then a domed hall for balls and receptions was built over the central volume, and belvederes in the form of turrets appeared above the side ones.

The property consisted of a front courtyard open in front of the main house, a regular park adjoining the front courtyard from the east, and a garden with outbuildings bordering the front courtyard from the west. The estate was famous for its fruit orchards and greenhouses, from where Muscovites received “red, white and green watermelons, of various kinds with the best taste of melon and cantaloupe, as well as many other rare fruits.”

After the death of Mamonov, in 1877-1883 the estate passed first to I. S. Fonvizin, who rented it to Dr. Levenshtein, who placed a psychiatric hospital here, and then to the merchant F. F. Noev, who, on the basis of the Yusupov greenhouses, organized a floriculture farm here . In 1910, the Moscow City Duma bought the Noev's Dacha to use it as a public park.

After the revolution, the forged fence surrounding the estate and the interiors of the main house were gradually lost, the old greenhouse was rebuilt and connected with the main house by a passage.

In 1923-1943, the Central Museum of Ethnology was located in the main building. The unique exposition of the dwellings of the peoples of Russia was placed right in the park, under open sky. During the war, it was closed, after which the main building was taken over by the Institute of Chemical Physics (at the same time the interiors were lost), the upper manor park was occupied by the Institute of Physical Problems. In addition to the institute buildings, there were mansions of the party nomenclature (in particular, A.N. Kosygin and M.S. Gorbachev lived here). There are also museum-apartments of scientists Nikolai Semyonov (in the northern wing of the main building) and Pyotr Kapitsa, who headed these two institutions.

Only the lower part of the park is open to the public. In February 2013, a fire broke out at the Institute of Chemical Physics, which may have killed the palace belvedere.

In 1925, for the first time in Soviet Russia, the official Day of Birds was held on Sparrow Hills: under the leadership of Nikolai Dergunov, young naturalists from the Moscow Central Biological Station hung birdhouses here. The poet Vladimir Mayakovsky took part in the preparation of the event (and possibly in the event itself).

In 1935, the Sparrow Hills in honor of V.I. Ulyanov-Lenin were renamed "Lenin", officially bore this name until 1999 - nevertheless, the name "Sparrow Hills" was preserved in everyday life (for example, the penultimate chapter of the novel by M. A Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita" (1929-1940), is called "On the Sparrow Hills"). The park on the territory of the Lenin Hills was laid out in the 1930s according to the project of architects V. I. Dolganov and M. I. Prokhorova. In 1948, according to the project of Dolganov, an observation deck was built.

Main building of Moscow State University

Architects B. M. Iofan, L. V. Rudnev, S. E. Chernyshev, P. V. Abrosimov, A. F. Khryakov, V. N. Nasonov, sculptural design of the facades - the work of the workshop of V. I. Mukhina.

In January 1947, at the suggestion of I.V. Stalin, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decided to build eight high-rise buildings in Moscow, of which the new building of Moscow State University on the Lenin Hills was to be the tallest (the height of the building is 182 meters, the height with a spire - 240 meters, the number of storeys of the central building - 36).

Earthworks on the territory of the former village of Vorobyov, which finally disappeared in 1956, began in 1948, the ceremony of laying the first stone took place on April 12, 1949. The work on the construction of the university was supervised by L.P. Beria. Military construction units from nuclear industry facilities were transferred to the site. The three largest buildings - physical, chemical and biological faculties were built by the camp type organization of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs - SU 560, the labor of several thousand prisoners was used in the construction.

On March 6, 1951, Stalin endorsed the architectural and planning task for the construction of roads and landscaping of the territories adjacent to the future building. On September 1, 1953, training sessions began in the corps.

The central building of the university complex, together with the observation deck, has become a new tourist attraction in the capital.

Springboard and metro bridge

In 1953, a ski jump was built on Sparrow Hills: illuminated ski slope with a chair lift 340 meters long.

In 1958, the Luzhnetsky metro bridge was built across the Vorobyovy Gory with the Leninskiye Gory metro station located on it (after 1999 - Vorobyovy Gory), connecting Komsomolsky Prospekt and the Moscow State University area. An escalator was built near the exit from the station, leading to Kosygin Street, which made it possible to climb towards the observation deck (now destroyed).

The building of the Russian Academy of Sciences

The new building of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences is located at the foot of the Sparrow Hills, on the banks of the Moskva River. It was built from the late 1960s to the early 1990s according to the project of a creative team of architects and designers. The building houses concert hall"Academic" for 1200 seats, where various scientific and creative events are held.

Nature Reserve "Vorobyovy Gory"

In 1987, Vorobyovy (at that time - Leninsky) mountains were declared a natural monument, in 1998 the Vorobyovy Gory State Nature Reserve was created, declared a specially protected natural area.

The reserve is located on the high right bank of the Luzhnetskaya bend of the Moskva River (in fact, the Vorobyovy Gory is a ledge of the Teplostan Upland, rising above the river's edge to a height of 80 meters). The high and steep slope of the river valley is dissected by deep beams descending to the Moscow River. Its characteristic feature is the wide development of landslide terraces. Due to the danger of the development of landslide processes, Vorobyovy Gory successfully avoided intensive development and largely retained their natural appearance - this is the only specially protected natural area in Moscow where a natural broad-leaved forest with its characteristic flora and fauna has been preserved in such close proximity to the city center.

Almost the entire length of Sparrow Hills is covered by an old broad-leaved forest, consisting mainly of linden, oak, maple, birch and ash: the roots of the trees fix the steep slopes from erosion and erosion. Under the forest canopy, among other herbaceous plants, there are lilies of the valley, bluebells, lungwort, corydalis, broad-leaved dremlik. Diverse and animal world park: squirrels and moles, nightingales and warblers live here. The long-eared owl, raven and gray owl are listed in the Red Book of the city of Moscow. In the sky above the nature reserve, you can see a falcon, a sparrowhawk, a kestrel.

The reserve conducts excursions, conducts an environmental education program, and has developed three ecological trails.

Modernity

In 1999, their historical name was returned to the Vorobyovy Gory, and the Leninskiye Gory metro station was renamed at the same time.

Mountain biking and motorsport competitions began to be held on Sparrow Hills.

In 2013, the reserve was attached to the territory of the TsPKiO im. Gorky and Neskuchny garden.

The observation deck, which in our time attracts not only tourists and newlyweds, but also communities of motorcyclists and fans of street racing in cars, underwent a major overhaul in the second half of 2014: it was built into the granite pavement interactive map Moscow illuminated, the balustrade is illuminated, a recreation area is equipped under the platform.

At the beginning of 2015, plans were announced for the reconstruction of the ski jump and the construction of a new cable car between Sparrow Hills and the Luzhniki stadium, which will have to combine excursion, transport and sports functions.

Monument to Prince Vladimir

At the beginning of 2015, it became known about the plans of the authorities to erect a monument to Prince Vladimir on the Sparrow Hills by the Day of National Unity, November 4, 2015. In February 2015, the competition commission of the Russian Military Historical Society chose the project of the workshop of Salavat Shcherbakov (architect Vasily Danilov), according to which a monument 24 meters high and weighing 330 tons should be installed at the very edge of the hill. A fundraising for the construction was announced, on February 25, the installation of the monument was supported by the Moscow City Duma.

At the same time, the collection of signatures began demanding that the project be stopped, since the Moscow City Duma did not hold an open competition for projects required by law, nor an environmental review, and the very construction of the monument on this site is in conflict with the legislation on protection. cultural heritage, interferes with the established architectural ensemble and actually eliminates the observation deck. On April 21, the creation of a city-wide coalition in defense of the Sparrow Hills was announced. By early June, nearly 60,000 people had signed the petition. A petition was also created in support of the decision of the Moscow City Duma to establish a monument, which by the end of May was signed by 52,000 people.

Sculptor Salavat Shcherbakov does not insist on the observation deck of the Sparrow Hills: "Moscow - a beautiful city, there are a lot of places for accommodation, ”and he is ready to adjust the size of the monument. Earlier, the Arkhnadzor movement proposed alternative options for installing a monument.

At the end of May, the observation deck was fenced off, and work began on it without a building permit and legal approvals, while the interactive tile laid in 2014 was dismantled.

Sports and active recreation

As part of the Sparrow Hills there are two embankments of the Moscow River, Vorobyovskaya and Andreevskaya, used for cycling, roller skating, skateboarding and hiking.

In culture

In Russian oral folk art, there is an old drawn-out song "The Vorobyov Mountains", which bears the name of the Sparrow Hills. This song was used in the form of separate chants by A.P. Borodin when composing his opera "Prince Igor", as well as in the Andante of the First Quartet.

Almost in all the works where the story is about Moscow, Sparrow Hills are mentioned. Woland Bulgakov watched the ancient city from this wonderful vantage point. You can see this place in films, but it's better to see it yourself. Sparrow Hills are filled with history and the spirit of ancient times. They changed their name several times. In fact, these are not mountains, even on old maps they are Vorobyovy Kruchi, in Soviet times they became Leninsky, and now they are Vorobyovy Gory Park.

Not a single tour of Moscow is complete without visiting them, there is an observation deck here, and it offers an excellent view of the capital.

History reference

There is no doubt that Sparrow Hills have been inhabited since ancient times. From about the 2nd millennium, these lands were developed by man. This is evidenced by numerous archaeological finds, for example, stone tools were found under the building of Moscow State University. Also, at different times, arrowheads, various decorations, and traces of settlements were found.

The name Sparrow Hills was given from one of the first owners of local villages, Kirill Sparrows. A sparrow is a nickname that may have come from a tool, a board walking around on a nail. Many times the villages changed owners, at one time royal estates stood here, and the kings different eras Here they rested, hid and made their plans.

Sparrow Hills in the XX century and in our time

The village of Vorobyevo survived for a long time. Summer residents lived here, raised and kept tea houses for tourists. In 1924, the village consisted of 180 households and more than a thousand inhabitants.

Since 1917, local festivities have been held on Sparrow Hills with rides, carousels, fairs, ice cream and waffle stalls. After his death, they began to call him Leninsky, and even the nearest metro station was called that. It is located on the lower level of the bridge. The station, like the bridge itself, was rebuilt and remodeled, and were closed for use for many years. Now the park on Sparrow Hills bears its usual name.

The birth of the green zone

For several centuries, the capital's university has been asking the territory of the Sparrow Hills for its buildings and has consistently been refused. Only under the power of the Soviets in 1948 was permission obtained, and the construction of the Moscow State University building began. The houses of summer residents were demolished, and they were raised near the university Botanical Garden, strengthened the slopes, straightened the rugged bank of the Moskva River, in general, ennobled the territory. This is how the park was born.

Why visit the park

If you happen to be in Moscow, then in the list of places worth visiting, be sure to add the Vorobyovy Gory park. How to get there? This question has multiple correct answers. You can do this by metro, there is a station with the same name, not far from Frunzenskaya. If you prefer by car, there are enough parking spaces in front of the Moscow State University building on Kosygin Street.

Park "Sparrow Hills" is a protected area as green. Cars do not drive here, only cyclists and pedestrians walk. The green zone has a total length of 10 km and stretches along the embankment. There is also a forest area, and shady ponds, in good weather you can see local animals, especially squirrels. Here you can disconnect from the non-stop metropolitan traffic, relax, breathe fresh air, listen to the birds singing, enjoy the scent of lilacs, the bushes of which are planted along the embankment.

Near the observation deck there is a cafe where you can have a delicious meal, and for fans active rest Bicycle rental is available during the warm season.

In addition to the observation deck and nature, there is a chairlift or funicular, where you can go down to the pier. The ski jump is 72 meters long and is open all year round. Near the observation deck is the Trinity Church, known for the fact that it was here that Kutuzov prayed before the battle of Borodino. After enjoying the Sparrow Hills, you can take a pleasure boat on the pier and view Moscow from the river. And at the next opportunity, be sure to visit Sparrow Hills again.

Gorky Park

The famous natural reserve in Moscow is a desirable place for any developer, local residents do their best to oppose this. But not so long ago, the rights to it passed to the Park of Culture. M. Gorky. This greatly excited everyone, since the first action on the part of the park management was the construction of a perimeter fence nature reserve, also restricted access for park regulars, athletes, coaches, and others. They built a buffet, closed one of the ski jumps and destroyed the informal parking lot, which had been used for a long time and was used to. And after the rumors about the increase in the building height and the construction of an underground parking lot under the observation deck, residents began to write letters and complaints to the city administration.

People don't want change because it's not often for the better. Many are in favor of preserving a piece of nature, and not covering everything with an artificial lawn, conducting communications, and making large-scale lighting. How this story will end and whether the Vorobyovy Gory park will become another shopping and entertainment complex is still unknown. Let's hope for the best.

The observation deck on Sparrow Hills is perhaps the most famous observation deck from where you can look at the panorama of the capital. This is what numerous guests of the city do, and the residents of Moscow do not lag behind - the views from here are really worthy of attention. Especially when you know where and what to look at, all the most iconic points of the city appear in a whole exciting story.

The site is part of sightseeing tour around the city, a favorite place for wedding photographers, a walking alley for students of Moscow University (whose main building is very close by), moms with strollers, romantic couples, and even a long-standing meeting place for bikers.

Sparrow Hills (in Soviet times they were called Leninsky for a long time, and only in 1999 the historical name returned) is considered the right side of the Moskva River in the south-west of the city. Geographically, this area is located quite high (it is considered one of the seven hills on which, as you know, Moscow stands). The meandering river washes away the high hilly bank, nourishes the beautiful forest around, which makes this place one of the most picturesque areas of the city.

The observation deck was designed during the construction of the university complex and was built along with it from 1949 to 1953. The project was led by Vitaly Ivanovich Dolganov, a well-known Soviet architect who took an active part in the greening of Moscow and the creation of the landscape and park culture of the city.

Muscovites adore this place on the days of big holidays, when fireworks rumble over the city. On Sparrow Hills there is a "mission control center" - the main headquarters, from where they command all the fireworks of the city. Here you can clearly see not only the “local” fireworks, but also a multidimensional picture when you simultaneously observe fireworks throughout the city. For the sake of this opportunity, photographers and video operators come here.

In recent years, the observation deck has become even more comfortable than before. There were coffee houses on wheels, snack machines. The site is beautifully lit at night. The territory is patrolled by a squad of police, however, do not turn off your vigilance - the city of many millions attracts a variety of "characters".

Attractions

It makes sense to go to Sparrow Hills for at least two reasons: to look at the sights of Moscow from a height of flight and relax in nature.

Cable car on Sparrow Hills

From the observation deck you can clearly see several embankments - Novodevichy and Berezhkovskaya, Vorobyovskaya and Luzhnetskaya, connecting them with bridges.

Directly behind the stadium, the multi-colored domes of St. Basil's Cathedral stand out, you can see part of the Kremlin bell towers, the power of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Here you can also see another landmark of modern Moscow - a huge figure of Peter I, installed on the arrow of the "Red October", a very odious work of Zurab Tsereteli. Right there in the gap - the third "Stalin skyscraper" - near the Red Gates, and the famous Sechenov Medical University.

If you move from the central part of the panorama to the right, you can immediately see the fourth "high-rise" - the house on Kotelnicheskaya, the oldest residential complex on the embankment, living in which in the middle of the last century was a sign of special elite. The house is familiar to many - he played an important role in the popular Soviet film "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears".

If you move your eyes further, it is difficult to miss the Shukhov TV Tower - an engineering project of incredible courage and implementation, created in the 20s of the last century. At the moment, the tower is practically not used for its intended purpose and is left as a historical monument.

Even more to the right can be found in the panorama of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences - a high-rise building with 22 floors, built in the 1990s.

In a word, it is difficult even to name another place, in addition to the observation deck on Sparrow Hills, from where you can see so many sights of the capital at once and understand how they relate to each other.

Panoramic view of Moscow from the observation deck on Sparrow Hills - Google Maps

Attractions Sparrow Hills

If you have reached the observation deck, be sure to look interesting places around. First of all, of course, the territory of Moscow State University, which is still the main stronghold of science and classical education in Russia. The main building of Moscow State University (it's hard to miss, it dominates the entire space around) has its own observation deck. The site is located at an altitude of 200 meters (24th floor). True, it will no longer be possible to get there for free - access is allowed only as part of an excursion group.

For connoisseurs of nature, the territory of Vorobyovy Gory is almost ideal: there is a botanical garden of Moscow University, the embankment of the Moskva River, Andreevsky Pond, many pleasant trails and routes: no matter which way you go, it’s great walking everywhere.

How to get to the observation deck

Kosygina Street can be considered a landmark for getting to the observation deck of the Sparrow Hills. Entrance to the site is absolutely free from anywhere in the street - free of charge and around the clock. Even binoculars here, giving 15x magnification, are available completely free of charge, which is a rarity these days.

View of the observation deck from Kosygin Street — panorama Yandex Maps

How to get there

The main landmark for the observation deck is the main building of Moscow State University (this is Universitetskaya Square). Very few passes directly near the University public transport. A trolleybus (route No. T7), which follows Kosygin Street, can take you right to the place. You can get off at the "Observation deck" or "Universitetskaya square" stops. Also on the square near the main building of Moscow State University, bus number 111 stops. From here you will need to walk about 500 meters to the observation deck. For more information, see the Mosgortrans website.

A funicular will soon open on Sparrow Hills, where you can climb from the embankment. It will start from the Luzhniki Arena and include 3 stations (one on the left bank, one on the right, and one on top).

Trolleybus stop near the observation deck — Yandex Maps panorama

Metro to Vorobyovy Gory

The most guaranteed way to get around Moscow (in terms of calculating travel time) is the metro. The observation deck of Sparrow Hills is located near the Sokolnicheskaya Vetka metro station of the same name. Leaving the metro, follow the signs - you need to exit towards the embankment.

From the metro to the observation deck is about 1.5 kilometers - you can easily walk them. It is more convenient to do this not along the main road, but to “cut off” the path by walking along the eco-trail. It is difficult to get lost here - there are signs along the way.

The coordinates of the observation deck for the navigator: 55.709315, 37.542163.

You can also get to the observation deck on Sparrow Hills by taxi. There are plenty of opportunities for this in the capital. There are mobile applications to call a taxi, such as Yandex. Taxi, Uber, Gett, Maxim, Rutaxi. Also, if you drive, you can use the car sharing system (car rental service) - Delimobil, Anytime, YouDrive and others.

Video: Vorobyovy Gory from a height (drone shooting), review

Sparrow Hills is a forested area on the high right bank of the Moskva River and one of the favorite places for Muscovites to relax. Sparrow Hills are considered one of the seven hills of Moscow, here is the largest observation deck of the capital, which offers a breathtaking view of the surroundings. You will see a beautiful bend of the Moskva River, the Kremlin towers and the Luzhniki Stadium, on the right - Neskuchny Garden, on the left - Novodevichy Convent.

According to tradition, newlyweds come here on the wedding day, and in the evenings, friends of interest gather, including bikers and street racers. Shows of vintage cars are periodically held here.

Those who like peace and solitude more can go deep into the green massif and take a walk through the forest, as well as along the ponds located closer to the Neskuchny Garden. Sparrow Hills are located near the center of Moscow - 5.5 km from the Kremlin. At the same time, despite the global development, untouched areas of pure forest with old large trees that have survived more than one century have been preserved here.

The pedestrian zone of the Moskva River with a length of about 10 km, including Krymskaya and Pushkinskaya, Andreevskaya and Vorobyovskaya embankments, passes through the territory of the forest park.

In spring and summer, you can rent a bicycle or roller skates on Sparrow Hills. Rental points are located on the embankment not far from the funicular and next to the exit to Vorobyovskoye highway.

How to get to Sparrow Hills, metro station

• By metro - Vorobyovy Gory station, Frunzenskaya and Universitet metro stations are also nearby.

For those who come by car, there are parking spaces next to the observation deck along Kosygina Street, opposite the Moscow State University building and not far from the intersection of Kosygina Street and Vernadsky Avenue.

Sparrow Hills - observation deck

The observation deck is located at the very top of the Sparrow Hills, at the intersection of Kosygin Street with University Square. Spyglasses are installed here, and their use is free. The opening panorama of Moscow fascinates with its harsh beauty and a slight haze over the city.

Near the observation deck, as well as on the waterfront, there are cafes where you can have a bite to eat.

From the observation deck, you can go down to the embankment on foot, and in the summer, on the funicular, located on the right side of the observation deck (if you look at Moscow). The funicular will take you to the embankment or to the pier, there is also a stop at an intermediate station. From the pier you can take a boat and go on a trip along the Moscow River.

• According to legend, in this place there was a village that belonged to a priest named Sparrow, hence the origin of the name of this area becomes clear. Later, this village was acquired by Princess Sophia, the wife of the Moscow Grand Duke Vasily I
• For several decades Vorobyovy Gory was called Leninskiye Gory, but the exact year of the renaming has not been established, three dates are given: 1924, 1935 and 1936. In 1999, the area was returned to its historical name
• In the 18th-19th centuries, there was a transit prison on Sparrow Hills, about which Alexander Herzen wrote in 1868 in the novel Past and Thoughts.
• Initially, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was planned to be located on Sparrow Hills. The project was developed and approved and construction began. But in the next seven years, work was carried out sluggishly, and soon completely stopped. According to the official version, the construction of the temple was stopped due to the unreliability of the soil. At the same time, it turned out that a million rubles from the money allocated for the construction of the cathedral had been stolen. Construction managers were accused of embezzlement and embezzlement and put on trial. The author of the Witberg project was innocently convicted and sent into exile
• During its history, Vorobyovy Gory several times became a viewing platform for the conquerors - from here the Crimean Khan Kazy-Girey and the Polish hetman Khotkevich looked at the capital. And in the October days of 1917, from the high bank of the Moskva River, the Red Guards began shelling the Kremlin.

Sparrow Hills - ecological trail

Sparrow Hills are a unique ecological zone with a special relief, there are many springs, picturesque landscapes and you can breathe perfectly. The ecological trail was opened in 2005 and became the first ecological trail in Moscow. It is equipped with information stands and signs telling about the animal and flora forest park.

The forest zone is inhabited by voles, moles and squirrels, among the birds - falcons and thrushes, nightingales and warblers, golden owls and white wagtails, woodpeckers and mallards, tits and blue tit. Arbors are installed along one of the ponds, where you can relax and hide from the rain. Descriptions of encountered plants and animals are presented on special stands.

Feeders for small birds and squirrels are installed, protected by a net from large birds. If desired, the inhabitants of the forest can be fed with grain and nuts.

You can go along the ecological path on your own, the ascent to it begins from Vorobyovskaya embankment, 100 meters from the cable car. Excursions around ecological paths are held all year round, on weekdays from 8-00 to 17-00 they are held free of charge. It is better to sign up for an excursion in advance, since there are many people who want to make it in the summer. Tour routes:

• The route "On the slopes of the Sparrow Hills" starts from the Observation deck and consists of the "Slopes of the Sparrow Hills" section with a length of 550 meters and "Andreevsky Ponds" with a length of 220 meters. At the very beginning of the eco-route there is an aviary complex with rare decorative birds, including pheasants and peacocks, as well as an aviary with squirrels and a demonstration aviary with birds of prey
• The route "On the terraces of Vorobyovy Gory" with a length of 740 meters starts at the Vorobyovy Gory metro station. This trail is accessible to everyone as it is adapted for people with reduced mobility. On the route you will come across stands “Guess the Tree” and “Traces of Animals”, as well as Andreevsky Ponds, where you can feed the ducks.