"Friendship" - a park in the center of Moscow

In the north of Moscow in the Left Bank district there is a small green zone, which was given a good name - "Friendship." The park has a small area of 50 hectares. It was laid in 1957 on the project of three young architects - Valentin Ivanov, Anatoly Savin and Galina Yezhova.

History of the park

Work on the project to create this green zone began in October 1956. This large town-planning facility was entrusted to three graduates of the Moscow Architectural Institute, the patronage of which was taken by Vitaly Dolganov, the head of the project workshop for gardening the city.

A place for the future park was chosen on the site near the Leningradskoye Highway, where in the next few years it was planned to begin construction of a large residential area of Khimki-Khovrino. This zone impressed everyone with its decorative picturesqueness: the hilly terrain intersects the quarries with the purest water, in which the carp are found, the ponds are connected by picturesque isthmuses.

According to the idea, the site was to be prepared for the VI World Festival of Youth and Students, the beginning of which was planned for August 1, 1957. Titanic efforts in a record short time (less than a year), all the work was completed, and it was on the appointed day by the participants of the festival that the park was laid - planting trees and shrubs, flowers on the flowerbeds according to a given scheme.

Why was the park named "Friendship"?

Initially, in the territory of the future park, beginning architects worked and only one brigade from the trust "Moszelenstroy" numbering only ten people. At their disposal was an old bulldozer, which often broke down. Since there was not much time left until the festival, and the work was not a big deal - cleaning up the garbage, clearing the territory of dilapidated buildings, leveling the plot, setting up lawns, preparing places for future planting, Moscow Komsomol members were sent to help the workers. More than two months every day there worked six hundred guys and girls who, with songs and fervor, worked with rakes and shovels. In the timeframe, the friendship was victorious! The park was named after the united work of Muscovites.

Interestingly, the laying of this facility was much ahead of the start of the construction of a residential complex, in the center of which it is today. Only three years later, along the borders of the park appeared two streets - Festivalnaya and Flotskaya.

As today looks like the Park of Friendship (Moscow)

This small green island is pleasantly distinguished against a dusty metropolis. For more than 50 years Muscovites have come and come here to breathe in fresh air and relax in nature. It is nice to walk along shady avenues, admire the picturesque landscapes, climb the hills and go down to the ponds, cross the ponds along the openwork bridges.

"Friendship" is a park in which all conditions for a full-fledged youth and family rest are created. A lot of playgrounds, a sports ground, a football field, benches and gazebos, adults and children's attractions - all this is built for interesting leisure. Also on the territory there is a circus "Rainbow", where wonderful performances are held regularly.

The architectural and park ensemble attracts many interesting monuments. In the center is the monument "Friendship" (appeared in 1985), nearby - a huge boulder with the image of Alice Selezneva with a bird-talker on her shoulder, marking the beginning of a beautiful avenue, then in honor of the fallen soldiers in Afghanistan a memorial plate is installed, the stella is a tribute to the feat of the Soviet People in the Patriotic War, the monument "Children of the World" was presented by the Finns, near it stands the monument of Soviet-Hungarian friendship, the figures of Miguel de Cervantes and Rabindranath Tagore look at the neighborhood, the park is also adorned with two sculptures - "Bread" and "Fertility".

However, the symbol of the park is still the monument "Friendship". It is he who is depicted on all postcards devoted to this place.

How to get to the park

Many people want to visit the park "Friendship." The address is: Flotskaya Street, 1-A. The easiest way to reach it is by metro, the stop "River Station" (by the way, this is sometimes called the very territory). Further on foot to the entrance. The car is more convenient to approach the park from the side of the Festivalnaya street. And if you go from the Leningrad highway, then you need to focus on the street Flotskaya.

"Friendship" is a park in which you want to return again.