Wonders of park architecture and art: VDNKh invites you to take a stroll along its new walking routes

The main Russian exhibition invites Muscovites and tourists to take a stroll along its new walking routes. Some of them run around the central part of VDNKh with its national pavilions, fountains and museums; others – around its faraway corners with their blooming gardens.

“New walking routes will help Muscovites and tourists know VDNKh better. They will be interesting both to those already familiar with the exhibition and to first-time visitors. There are 10 guided tours in total. Some of them are about landmarks and architecture, others lead to the remote parts of the park ensemble where you can relax surrounded by nature and see some rare plants,” said Natalya Sergunina, Deputy Moscow Mayor.

Those who choose the Knowledge route will walk along the Main Alley, by Friendship of Peoples and Stone Flower fountains. The tour starts by the VDNKh Museum, by the Main Entrance Arch. It’s going to be particularly interesting for first-time visitors. They will have a chance to learn when and why VDNKh was built and what ideas it represents. No tour guide is needed to tell them all this: interactive installations, models and archive newsreels are going to help tourists get all the information they want. After that, take a stroll to Pavilion No.58 Agriculture. It now houses the Slovo Museum. It’s about the history of writing in Russia and the world, the part it played in the life of various peoples and its interactions with the spoken word. The walk is about 2.5 hours long.

Those who wish to get away from the city bustle will be well-served to take the Nature route. It starts from the City Farm. Visitors will get an introduction to country life, get to know farming traditions and see all kinds of animals (over 100 species in total).

The next tourist attraction is the Kamenka cascading ponds. This remote area of VDNKh has pontoon platforms and rest areas. You’d want to take a break by pond No.4, then pond No.3 where there is a beach with plank flooring, sunbeds and shades. The green maze made wholly of vegetation is not far away. The route ends on the eco-trail that runs through the landscape park. You might like to climb a high bridge to see the relic Sheremetyevo Oak Grove in all its splendor. The entire walk is about 3.5 hours long.

The young visitors have a special route for them: For Kids. It starts from the interactive Fairy Tale Theater (Pavilion No.9). Its main feature is that the audience has a say about how the stage performance goes. The next stop is the Cosmos playground. It will be interesting for any kid aged 3 to 12. There are all kinds of exciting equipment installed there: models of spacecraft such as Progress cargo shuttle, Vostok carrier rocket, an Earth satellite and a Moon rover. After some active entertainment, the guests are invited to the Laboratory of Ice Cream. They will see the entire ice cream production process and try their hand in making desserts. The walk will take less than 2.5 hours start to finish.

The Flowers route runs along the most scenic areas of VDNKh. It starts from a unique place: the northern rose garden near the Great Promenade Alley. The garden features rose compositions that include varieties created by rose gardeners from all over the world. For example, Golden Fall, a hybrid tea rose bred by Russian stock breeders won’t leave anyone indifferent. After that, visitors may proceed to the lilac garden at the landscape park. It has a walking path made of natural stones and concrete tiles and benches for the walkers’ comfort. From there, you can easily get to the Great Field Landscape flower gardens featuring some rare plant species. They are planted at the eye level, to make it easier to see the beautiful colors. A walk around fields in bloom will take about 3.5 hours.

The National Identity route introduces curious visitors to various national cultures and cuisines. It starts from the Friendship of Peoples fountain. After that, proceed to the Republic of Armenia pavilion where they organize theme meetings and other events. The next stop is Pavilion No.11 Kazakhstan. Visitors will see unique art objects, economy and industry achievements. The last stop is the Azerbaijan pavilion. The unique building still preserves some interior elements made in 1939. Its restoration was completed in 2019. The project uncovered the original roof lanterns, restored brickwork in walls and ornamental elements, ceiling plafonds, marble lining on wall bases and abutments. A museum exposition is available there right now.

VDNKh is a unique public space with over 80 years of history. It includes 49 cultural heritage sites, including historic pavilions and fountains. The exhibition covers over 325 hectares in total.