Moscow has several great parks where you can go for recreation, to spend time with friends or do some outdoor activities. In this post I am gonna tell you a little about on one of my favourite parks, the Izmaylovsky Park. The park’s official name is Izmailovo Natural and Historical Park (Природно-исторический парк «Измайлово») but we keep it simple and say only Izmaylovsky. The park is situated in the Izmaylovo District, northeast of the city center, and the closest metro station is Partizanskaya on the blue line. The park is one of the largest in Moscow and consists of two areas: Izmaylovsky Park and Izmaylovsky Forest.
History
The Park has a long history dating back until the late 1500th hundred, but since I want to put focus on the park’s characteristics and activities, I will keep the history lesson short. During the first centuries of the park it was a country estate for rich and important people in Russia during that time, among them the Romanov family. Buildings and purpose of the park have changed throughout history. In the early 1930s Izmaylovsky was given an official status as a park and was named after Stalin. It was by that time called the Stalin Izmailovsky Culture and Rest Park (Измайловский парк культуры и отдыха имени Сталина).
The landscape and its flora and fauna
The Government of Moscow signed a decree in 1998 giving the park the status of “specially protected natural area”. As a visitor you can walk around several unique natural sites which have been declared as natural monuments. There are many ponds located in the area and one of the most famous ones is the Silver Grape Pond near the metro Partizanskaya. The park has a rich diversity of both animal and plant species. Many of the plants are endangered in the area and are being monitored by preservation agencies. Animals such as hares, rodents, weasels and hedgehogs are inhabitants of the park and the forest. There are also more than a hundred different species of birds recorded in the area. In other words, while taking a walk in this beautiful park you could find yourself in a scene resembling to the one in Disney’s Snow White, when she is sitting in the forest singing to all the cute animals around her. Who knows?
How to spend your time
This is a park for visitors of any age, both due to the wide range of activities but also for its affordable prices. Of course you can spend your visit by simply strolling around this beautiful park, but if you want to do something more than just walking, there are many alternatives.
My favourite attraction is one of the two Ferris Wheels which are located in the park. The bigger one is 50 meters high and I guarantee you that the view from the top will take your breath away. The price, just 250 rubles! There are also two amusement parks in the area. The majority of the attractions I think are for children but who knows, if you are short maybe you can get pass. It is worth a shot if you ask me, because it looks like a lot of fun.
If you are looking for sport activities there are courts for tennis, volleyball, basketball, badminton and street ball. You can go crossbow shooting, rent a bicycle or play football. If you want to combine physical activity with recreation you can rent a boat and circle around the Round Pound (Круглый пруд) in the western parts of the park.
For those interested in history there is an open-air museum of military equipment called the Courage Square. During the summer the park also offers open air cinema and live music performances. If you visit the park during the winter months there will be things like large ice slides, a skating rink and sledding. All year around there are free outdoor classes and courses in for example yoga and dance.
The park is fully equipped with restaurants, toilets, parking lots and countless of ice cream- and coffee stands so you will not have to bring you own food or fear having to run miles for a toilet. To find out more about the park and all the activities mentioned in the article (including all of which I forgot to mention), follow this link in order to get to their official website. Maybe you have already been there and have your own favourite part of the park? If so, please share it with the rest of us in a comment below!