Zaryadye Park, a city park in Moscow, opened its gates in 2017. It is situated on the left bank of the Moskva river, not far from the Red Square, and it gets its name from the name of the historical neighbourhood it is located in.
The park is a massive project that was celebrated when it was constructed and opened, but many problems arose during its construction. After the Russian government announced the demolition of the “Russia“ hotel in 2004, a contest was started to figure out what would be built at the spot.
At first, a new hotel complex was supposed to take the place of the old hotel. Among many plans, the project put forward by British architect Norman Foster was chosen in 2006. In the same year, the demolition of the hotel started, but the newly-chosen project didn’t see work starting. Moscow government was criticized due to the fact, and many ideas about why the project never started arose, which was all further amplified by the prolonged contest and the economic crisis that struck Russia in 2008.
After the long period of the project’s stagnation, many put forward their ideas on what should be built at the spot, but what became apparent was just how much the Kremlin had gained once the hotel was demolished, leaving empty grounds around it. Various groups became active in protecting the area, with the goal of preventing any high buildings from being built in the city center. Some individuals were adamant in the idea that the space should not see any construction carried out.
When the “Friends of Zaryadye“ group suggested that a large public park should be built, many fellow-architects, as well as urban planners agreed with the idea. In 2012, a new competition was held to pick a plan of the future park. The park was opened in 2017, after many projects had been rejected in a fierce competition.
The main feature of the park are the features hidden behind the landscape. The park is separated into four climate zones, which are: forest, steppe, tundra, and the water areas.
The nature and architecture of the park seem to form a uniform sturcture. Visitors can enjoy the view of the Moskva river, the media center, natural center, two amphitheaters, as well as a concert hall. Another advantage of the park is the picturesque view of the Kremlin which can be enjoyed from the floating bridge over the Moskva river.
The park is truly unbelievable, representing one of the main attractions of the city of Moscow. You will find interesting content and surely enjoy what the park has to offer. If you visit Moscow, you will surely visit the city center, so it would be a shame to miss this incredible park.
