The park of the Northern River Station is the Soviet heritage of the capital. The park is a monument of landscape gardening ensembles of that period. The recreation area is adjacent directly to the station building, which was built almost simultaneously with the park and the Moscow Canal. Construction work was carried out between 1936 and 1938
General Description
The park area is located along the Leningrad highway, directly on the Khimki reservoir. The total occupied area is 40.8 hectares. Druzhby Park is located on the opposite side of the Leningrad Highway.
In autumn and spring, the garden ensemble fascinates and surprises with the preserved atmosphere of the 30s of the last century. There are many flowerbeds, plants on which are planted in original compositions, tall trees, birds singing and snow-white sculptures stylized as a river theme. There are playgrounds with unusual slides and swings. The layout of the entire zone has three alleys:
- two run parallel to the highway;
- one is perpendicular.
Today, the Northern River Station Park is practically excluded from the cultural life of the capital and is absent from the architectural map of Moscow.
Attractions
The main entrance is decorated with the sculpture "Waterway", created in 1937 by sculptor Julia Kun. The statue depicts a girl holding a ship in her hands, which is raised. The girl herself is a river carrying ships on her waves. A copy of the sculpture is located on the upstream of the lock number 5.
Further in the Park of the Northern River Station there is a monument-bust of Academician Krylov A. N. The bust was erected in 1960 and is located near the station building.
Also on the territory there is a sculpture "Sport", and the rest, which were originally very many here, have been lost. Cast-iron anchors on granite pedestals are installed on the sides of the entrance to the park. The forged fence that encloses the park is an example of architectural art, which was partially lost and restored with new elements. Of course, there is also the station building itself.
Station building
All people who have visited the Khimki Reservoir take photos of the park of the Northern River Station and the station itself. After all, this is a religious building, "lit up" in many Soviet films: "Volga-Volga", "New Moscow".
Designed by two architects:
- Rukhlyadeva A. M.
- Krinsky V. F.
The building completely repeats the outlines of a huge double-deck steamer topped with a tower anda spire (symbolizing a deck 24 meters high), on top of which is a star that previously adorned the Spasskaya Tower. The entire building is inlaid with majolica, one of which depicts "Moscow of the Future". Arched openings and a flat roof give the building a striking resemblance to a real steamship.
The building has semicircular courtyards on the sides, where in former times there were fountains called "South" (9 dolphins that played in water jets) and "North" (with bears and geese against a rock).
On the tower, under the lighthouse, the clock is working. They were brought from the Resurrection Cathedral, but it is established that they are over 200 years old, and all the details are handmade.
The tower is also equipped with a special mechanism that was supposed to lower and raise the spire (depending on the beginning or end of navigation), but this only happened a few times.
Modern Entertainment
The park of the Northern River Station today can offer not only walks along the alleys and the embankment, but also a number of modern entertainments. There are small cafes and barbecues, dry closets on the territory. There is a place in the park where cyclists and rollerbladers gather. But this is all summer entertainment, in winter there is an ice rink.
Ice Arena
The park of the Northern River Station of Moscow is famous for its winter entertainment. With the onset of cold weather, the territory turns into a huge ice rink.
Two open this season:
- with artificial ice;
- natural.
The right side of the park is covered with artificial ice. No ride feeprovided, but no equipment rental service.
The central part and alleys are covered with natural ice. There is a paid entrance to this part of the ice rental, there is a rental and sharpening of skates.
Prospective development plans
In the near future, it is planned to open a new one near the park of the North Station, the recreation area will be called the "Park of the Five Seas". There will be rides, playgrounds and restaurants.
The whole territory will resemble a map of the river system of the European part of our country. The adopted project is designed to recreate the atmosphere of the Khrushchev thaw. All paths and alleys will be restored in the old park, and alternative pedestrian routes will be created.
How to get there
Northern River Station Park is located at 51, Leningradskoye shosse. Then you should go along Festivalnaya Street through the underpass of the Leningradskoye Highway and move towards the spire. The journey from the metro station takes about 10 minutes on foot.
