Poklonnaya Hill - previously you could see the whole of Moscow and its surroundings from it. This was at a time when the city was not yet so big. They say that the name “Poklonnaya Gora” came from the fact that many, when traveling to Moscow, looked at the city from here and bowed to it. Many significant events are associated with Poklonnaya Gora. Here Napoleon waited for the keys to the city in 1812, but never did), in 1612 Hetman Zholkiewski stayed here, a delegation arrived from Moscow who wanted to place the Polish prince Vladislav on the royal throne, Russian troops left for the front in during the Great Patriotic War.
Previously, Poklonnaya Hill was truly a mountain from which Moscow was visible in full view. Now it is a small hill, from which you can only see numerous high-rise buildings scattered around, and Victory Park, which was founded near Poklonnaya Gora in 1958 along with a memorial complex built in honor of our victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Poklonnaya Gora and Victory Park are located at the metro station of the same name - Victory Park. Accordingly, getting here is very easy.
History of the creation of Victory Park
In 1958, on the occasion of the Soviet Army Day, a symbolic sign “A monument to the Victory of the people of the USSR in the Second World War of 1941-1945 will be built here” was erected on the territory of the future park. The city authorities have allocated a huge area for development: 135 hectares. Trees were planted and a park was laid out. In the 70-80s they raised money for construction. Residents chipped in a penny, and as a result they “scraped together” 194 million rubles. It was enough to begin with, but later the state helped. The grand opening of the Park, dedicated to the fiftieth anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, took place on May 9, 1995.
Victory Park includes many objects of architectural and historical value. The Victory Monument is an obelisk made of especially strong steel, which rises almost 142 meters - more precisely, 141.8 m. The symbolism of this figure is that exactly how many days - 1418 - the war lasted. The obelisk weighs a thousand tons and is covered with bronze bas-reliefs on top. The bronze figure of the goddess Nike, installed at the highest point, symbolizes victory.
There are a lot of fountains in the park. Their exact number is also symbolic - 1418. In the evening, when it gets dark, the fountains are illuminated. It is red. For this, people called them “bloody”.
The Museum of the Great Patriotic War is the central object of Victory Park. It consists of a military-historical exhibition, which depicts the chronicle of the war years, and an artistic exhibition. The main attraction of the museum is the dioramas (six compositions), each of which is dedicated to one of the most important battles of the Great War. Audiovisual complexes show wartime newsreels, rare archival materials and memorable photographs. The museum is equipped with an automatic search system “Book of Memory”, which helps to find information about missing people. I haven’t been to this museum yet, I’ll try to catch up.
The museum's exhibition continues in Victory Park itself. A grandiose exhibition of military equipment unfolded right in the open air. More than 300 samples of tanks, aircraft, self-propelled guns, etc., German combat vehicles and equipment of other countries that participated in the war are presented here. I was here once, on May 9th, I’ll post a photo report soon.
Church of St. George the Victorious in Victory Park
The Church of St. George the Victorious is considered a real shrine of Victory Park. It was laid in close proximity to the memorial on May 9, 1994. The construction was carried out with municipal funds, and the author was the architect Polyansky. The consecration of the Temple took place on May 6, 1995 by Alexei II, His Holiness the Moscow Patriarch.
Memorial Mosque in Victory Park
Not far from the Temple is the Memorial Mosque. The decision to build it was made in October 1992. In March 1995, the foundation stone was installed. The opening of the mosque took place on the day of the 850th anniversary of Moscow, September 6, 1997. The mosque is a tribute to the memory of Muslims who died as a result of military operations of 1941-1945.
The Holocaust Memorial Synagogue and Museum is another part of the architectural complex. The opening of this site took place in September 1998 as a memory of the six million Jews who died as a result of repression by the Nazi invaders. This is the only museum of its kind in Russia, the exhibitions of which tell about the contribution of Jews to Russian culture.
In memory of the volunteers from Spain who died during the war, the government decided to build a Catholic chapel, reminiscent of the unparalleled courage of these brave soldiers.
At the intersection of Kutuzovsky Prospekt and Minskaya Street, a monument to the “Defenders of the Russian Land” was erected. It represents three Russian warriors from different times - a hero from Ancient Rus', a guardsman from the War of 1812 and a soldier who fought during the Second World War. They are installed on a granite pedestal.
The monument “Tragedy of Nations” was erected in 1997, its author is Zurab Tsereteli. The sculpture commemorates the victims of the fascist genocide. A seemingly endless line of prisoners, united by shaved heads and pained eyes, tells people about the shootings and executions committed by the Nazis.
In 2004, a monument to internationalist soldiers was unveiled on Poklonnaya Hill. Its construction was carried out at the expense of Afghan veteran organizations. This is a 4-meter bronze figure of a soldier standing on a cliff and looking into the distance.
In spring, tulips bloom in the park. All flower beds are planted with them. Very beautiful.
Not a single holiday bypasses Victory Park. Concerts, folk festivals, etc. are often held here.
The territory of the park was first mentioned in the “Chronicle of Bykhovets” in 1368. Historians also claim that in 1612 Hetman Zholkiewski stayed here. The purpose of his visit was to meet the Polish delegation. It is also known that in the fall of 1812, Napoleon was waiting here for the capital’s boyars, who were supposed to hand him the keys to the Kremlin.
As for the opening of the memorial zone, this idea was first voiced by the architect Chernikhov. But his idea did not immediately become a reality. The first sculptural composition was erected here only in 1958. This is a sign decorated with an inscription about the construction of a memorial in honor of the triumph. In the coming months, a park area was created around it, and monuments and buildings began to be erected during the reign of Brezhnev. The entire territory of the complex was officially opened on May 9, 1995.
What is important to know about the park
Victory Park, located next to Poklonnaya Gora, is a whole system of alleys decorated with sculptures and temples. The central part is the main alley, called “Years of War”. It includes five terraces, symbolizing 5 years of battle. And the number of days of the war is indicated by the number of fountains, of which there are exactly 1418. As soon as it gets dark, the red lights turn on here, thanks to which Muscovites call the fountains “bloody.”
In addition to a large number of monuments and sculptures, the park is distinguished by beautiful nature with well-groomed flower beds and lawns. Some of them are laid out in the form of ribbons, inscriptions and clocks. In addition to the park alleys, Poklonnaya Gora is also considered a favorite place for visitors. Despite the fact that earlier from its top there was a view of the main attractions of Moscow, which were later blocked by high-rise buildings, today you can also enjoy a picturesque view from here.
Not long ago, a tradition developed in the capital according to which newlyweds come here on their wedding day to lay flowers at the monuments. If you are lucky enough to be here during the peak wedding season, then you will definitely appreciate the indescribable atmosphere of the celebration, when dozens of young couples stroll along the alleys of the park with bouquets.
The most varied leisure activities are possible on the territory of the memorial complex. For example, its landscaped alleys are great for skateboarding or cycling. In spring and summer, young people from different parts of Moscow come here to demonstrate their skills in extreme sports.
Main attractions of the park
Museum of the Great Patriotic War
This exposition is recognized as the central dominant of the park. It includes two exhibitions: military history, where you can see a complete chronicle of the war years, and art. The key element of the museum is a diorama consisting of 6 compositions. Each of them is dedicated to the decisive battle of the war.
In addition to the museum complex, the exhibition also covers part of the park area. There is a huge exhibition of military equipment right in the open air. Here you will see a variety of models of domestic tanks, aircraft, self-propelled guns, combat vehicles of Germany and other countries. There are more than 300 exhibits in total.
Victory Monument
The main square of the park is decorated with a majestic monument reaching 141.8 meters in height. This figure symbolically reflects 1418 days of the victorious battle. At an altitude of 100 meters there is a bronze sculpture of the ancient Greek goddess of victory Nike surrounded by angels. And the granite base of the monument is guarded by St. George the Victorious, piercing a snake with a weapon.
Temple of St. George the Victorious
Another important landmark of the complex, built next to it on May 9, 1994. It is interesting that the temple was built entirely with municipal funds, and its architectural design belonged to the master Polyansky. The illumination of the landmark took place on May 6, 1995, by the famous capital Patriarch Alexei II.
Today, the architectural style of the temple is classified as postmodernism, although thanks to its decor the shrine is more reminiscent of an example of ancient Russian architecture. In addition to its impressive appearance, the temple is also interesting for its interior design. In addition to icons of saints, here you can see military attributes and a memorial to fallen soldiers. The main relic of the shrine is considered to be the relics of the Great Martyr George.
This temple is one of the main symbols of the memorial complex. Much of the triumph of the Russian army is associated with the name of St. George the Victorious, the patron saint of war.
Monument "Tragedy of the People"
The architectural monument was built in 1997 in honor of the victims of the genocide. Its author was the famous sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. At first glance, the monument discourages visitors, because it depicts naked figures with shaved heads. In this way, the author tried to convey the idea that people are in line to die.
Memorial Mosque
Some visitors to the park are surprised to see a Muslim mosque on its territory. This shrine was erected in 1997 in honor of Muslim soldiers who died in the war.
Despite the fact that the building is built from reinforced concrete structures, thanks to the red decorative brick and white stone it looks quite sophisticated. The main entrance to the shrine is decorated with a high portal. On the left side of it you can see a brass board decorated with a Russian inscription. Opposite you can see the same inscription, but only in Arabic. Here you can read the date and reason for the opening of the mosque.
The halls of the temple are painted with ornaments and decorated with snow-white carvings. The key element of the decor is a huge crystal chandelier, shaped like a crescent.
Holocaust Memorial Synagogue and Museum
This temple was erected in honor of the 6 million Jews who died. Thus, Russia expressed sympathy and respect for the Jewish people, who were massacred during the war.
Designed by architects Zarkhi and Budaev, today the building is recognized as one of the best examples of synagogue architecture. The interior decoration of the shrine, designed in a solemn and austere palette, is considered no less impressive.
Looking into the synagogue, you will see an exhibition dedicated to the history of the Jewish nation, which settled in Russia. Here you can learn about the contribution of Jews to the culture and economy of Russia. Among the exhibits, the most noteworthy are various ritual attributes, including bells, crowns, candlesticks, ceremonial cups, silver jewelry and much more.
Monument to Internationalist Soldiers
One of the new monuments, erected on December 27, 2004. This date is associated with the 25th anniversary of the appearance of Russian troops in Afghanistan. The monument depicts a huge bronze figure of a soldier holding a weapon in his hands.
Note. If you are traveling through the streets of the capital for the first time, we recommend visiting Victory Park during one of the sightseeing tours presented on the Sputnik portal. In just a few hours you will see the main symbols of Moscow and learn many interesting facts from the life of the city.
In general, Victory Park is not only an excellent opportunity to relax with loved ones among the picturesque alleys, but also a reason not to forget about important stages of the country’s history.
How to get there
Victory Park is surrounded by more than 4 streets. On one side it intersects with Kutuzovsky Prospekt, on the western part it is surrounded by Minskaya Street, on the eastern part by Fonchenko Brothers Street, and in the south it borders the railway station. Part of the recreation area is occupied by Poklonnaya Gora, next to which there are 2 metro stations: “Minskaya” and “Park Pobedy”.
The most convenient way to get to the complex will be by metro. From the stops listed above, getting here on foot is not difficult. A 140-meter stele, which is visible from afar, will serve as a guide.
You can also get to Victory Park by car. Passage is allowed to the main and western entrances. If you are planning a route in a navigator, then you can set General Ermolov Street 4 or Minskaya Street as the final destination.
Victory Park is located in the west of Moscow, between Kutuzovsky Prospekt and the branch of the Moscow Railway in the Kyiv direction.
During the walk we will see the Triumphal Gate, Poklonnaya Hill with a flower clock, the Temple of St. George the Victorious, as well as the multi-meter stele Victory Monument.
And if we turn back, we will see the arch of the Triumphal Gate, located on Kutuzovsky Prospekt.
We will definitely return to it, but first we will go to Victory Park.
Now it is difficult to imagine the capital without the memorial complex on Poklonnaya Hill, but it appeared relatively recently, in 1995, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Victory. Before this, Victory Park, founded in 1958, was one of the many garden and park areas of the city.
Poklonnaya Mountain is part of the Tatarovskaya Upland, which also includes the Krylatsky Hills and the heights of the Filevsky Forest Park. Previously, Poklonnaya Hill was much higher and larger in area; it offered a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. Travelers stopped here to look at the city and worship its churches, which is where the name of the mountain came from. Guests of the city were solemnly welcomed here. Knowing this fact, it was on Poklonnaya Hill that Napoleon Bonaparte waited for the keys to Moscow in 1812.
In 1966, most of Poklonnaya Hill was razed. All that remains of it is a small hill located in the eastern part of Victory Park, directly at the exit from the metro.
The hill is decorated with a flower clock - the only one in Moscow. They were built in 2001 and were listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world. But due to the fact that the technical elements of the clock system are constantly exposed to conditions of high humidity and pollution, they do not always work; at times they are just a large flower garden.
At the top of the hill you can see a small wooden cross. It was installed in 1991 in honor of all Orthodox soldiers who took part in the Great Patriotic War, preceding the construction of the Church of St. George the Victorious, erected in 1995.
It is not necessary to climb the hill itself, since there are no steps or any other devices; you will have to climb directly on the grass, and if in winter, then on the snow. But if you are confident in your abilities, then you can rise. From the top of the mountain there is a good view of the city.
The “Years of War” alley is decorated with a fountain complex of the same name. It consists of 15 bowls, each with 15 jets, thus forming the number 255 - the number of weeks the war lasted. At night, the fountains are illuminated, the illumination is made in red tones, for which the fountains are sometimes even called “bloody fountains.”
On the left side of the fountains there is a sculptural ensemble consisting of 15 columns dedicated to the fronts and other units of the Soviet army.
From a distance, the sculptures look the same: a column mounted on a granite pedestal, the top adorned with a five-pointed star and military banners.
And at the base of each of the columns there is a bas-relief dedicated to one of the divisions.
This is in turn: Home front workers; Partisans and underground fighters; Black Sea, Baltic and Northern fleets; 3rd, 2nd, 4th and 1st Ukrainian Fronts; 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts; 1st Baltic Front; Leningrad Front.
From the alley “Years of War” we turn left to the Church of St. George the Victorious. It, like most of the monuments included in the memorial complex, was erected in 1995, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Victory.
The facade of the Temple is decorated with bas-reliefs with the faces of the Savior, the Virgin Mary and St. George.
Near the entrance to the Temple, we will see a sculpture depicting a wounded soldier. This is the Monument to Missing Soldiers without Grave. It was brought as a gift to Moscow by the Republic of Ukraine.
From the Temple you can return to the main alley of the park, or, if we have already seen everything there, go straight up to the Victory Monument. The staircase starts immediately from the monument to the missing.
The architectural complex, including the Victory Monument and the majestic building of the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, makes an indelible impression. The stele is one of the tallest monuments in Moscow, its height is 142 meters. The top is crowned with a sculpture of the goddess of victory Nike.
And at its base there is a monument to St. George the Victorious slaying the dragon - a symbol of the victory of good over evil, taken from Orthodoxy.
If we digress a little from the military theme and look around, we will see that from the hill on which the monument is located there is a magnificent view of the city. On the left are the high-rise buildings of the Moscow City Business Center.
On the right is one of the famous Stalinist skyscrapers - the Main Building of Moscow State University on Vorobyovy Gory.
Between the Monument and the entrance to the museum the Eternal Flame burns.
It appeared in Victory Park relatively recently, much later than the construction of the sculptural ensemble of Poklonnaya Gora. In December 2009, the Eternal Flame from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was moved here. Engineering and technical communications were being repaired in the Alexander Garden, and since the Eternal Flame should not go out for a minute, it was decided to temporarily move it. And in April 2010, on the eve of the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Victory, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the Eternal Flame entered the Victory Park memorial on a permanent basis, becoming the third in the capital after the lights in the Alexander Garden and at the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery.
Having passed the Eternal Flame, we approach the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. Inspecting the museum’s exhibits can take a whole day, so we won’t go inside today, leaving the visit to the museum for another day. Having seen the artillery pieces from the times of the Great Patriotic War located at the entrance, we will head into the passage between the columns of the building.
Let's go to the right wing of the building. Here is located the Front Dog Monument, erected in memory of the four-legged soldiers who helped soldiers during the war. The dogs served in the medical troops (distributing medicines, and sometimes pulling the wounded out of the battlefields), guard duty, found explosives, and helped scouts. Demolition dogs, hung with explosives, threw themselves under enemy tanks. About 350 units of military equipment were destroyed in this way.
Behind the trees we will see another monument. Even from a distance it makes a depressing impression.
As we come closer, we will be convinced that our emotions are correct. This sculptural composition is called “Tragedy of Nations”, it is dedicated to all the victims of Nazi concentration camps.
In the center are sculptures of emaciated people without clothes, and to the right and left are books, children's toys, clothes, shoes and other household items, scattered in a chaotic manner.
On the right side of the composition there is a granite slab, on which is engraved the inscription “Let the memory of them be sacred, may it be preserved for centuries.”
And if we come closer and pass through the narrow passage between the fragments of the monument, we will see that there are many such slabs. The same words are written on them in different languages - Ukrainian, Tatar, Armenian, Hebrew, etc., symbolizing the multinationality of the victims of fascism.
Next to the “Tragedy of Nations” there is another memorial sign, a small granite plaque with a bronze bas-relief located directly on the ground, called “Spirit of the Elbe”. It is dedicated to the meeting of Soviet and American troops on the Elbe River in April 1945.
Passing by the rear facade, in the distance we will see another monument, located with its back to us.
We will definitely come to it, but later. If we go there now, we may get off the route and miss other equally important attractions.
Entrance to the territory is paid, however, the price is purely symbolic (70 rubles). You can also walk along the exhibition fence; it is made of metal rods, through which most of the exhibits can be viewed without entering the museum territory, but moving along the fence.
The first part of the exhibition, located at the main entrance, presents a reconstruction of the battle from the beginning of the war, when the Soviet army defended its own territories. On one side of the conventional front line there are tanks, artillery installations of the Nazi army,
on the other - Soviet technology.
The front line is represented by trenches, anti-tank hedgehogs and other defensive structures. You can go down into the trench to look at the exhibition from the bottom up, as soldiers had to do sitting in the trenches.
Artillery pieces:
Railway equipment:
And even aviation.
The collection features not only small fighters, but also more powerful winged aircraft.
From a distance, the territory fenced off from outsiders looks like a scrap metal dump, but when we get closer, we see that these are parts of military equipment found on battlefields, from which exhibits are assembled. After all, there is not a single dummy in the exhibition; all the equipment presented actually took part in the battles of the Great Patriotic War.
After going through the main part of the exhibition, we will find ourselves in a small forest. A model of a partisan camp has been set up here: dugouts, a watchtower and other wooden structures.
The next part of the exhibition is dedicated to the navy: there are ship engines, guns, and a submarine wheelhouse:
And even entire parts of ships:
At the exit from the exhibition area there is a collection of military equipment from one of the main German allies - Japan.
From the exhibition area you can clearly see the oriental-style building with crescent moons on the domes. This is a memorial mosque in honor of Muslim soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War.
Once outside the exhibition gates, we will find ourselves at a crossroads, from which four roads diverge in different directions. In the center there is a small monument made in the style of a Catholic chapel.
The association, created during the Second World War to confront Nazi Germany and its satellites (primarily Italy and Japan), by 1945 consisted of 53 states. Some actually took part in the hostilities, others helped with food and weapons. The greatest contribution to the victory was, of course, made by the USSR, and from other countries it is customary to single out the armies of the USA, Great Britain and France. Therefore, against the background of a granite stele topped with a gilded UN symbol, there are four figures of soldiers in the uniform of the armies of these particular countries.
Let's return from the monument back to the intersection. Standing with our back to the WWII Museum and facing the exhibition of military equipment, let's turn left, deep into the park. After walking a few tens of meters, we will see another sculptural composition.
In its center is a sculpture of Soviet soldiers Egorov and Kantaria hoisting the Victory Banner over the Reichstag. The pedestal under the sculpture is also made in the spirit of the walls of the destroyed Reichstag; it is painted with the names of various cities of the Soviet Union: Yerevan, Dushanbe, Tbilisi, Tashkent, etc. On the sides of the pedestal there are two bronze bas-reliefs. One depicts the triumph of Soviet soldiers against the backdrop of the same Reichstag:
On the other - the Victory Parade on Red Square in 1945 with the burning of fascist regalia.
And on the granite slab behind the monument are the words: “We were together in the fight against fascism!”
This sculptural composition appeared in Victory Park in 2010. The impetus for its creation was the notorious events in Georgia a year earlier, when a similar monument was destroyed in the city of Kutaisi.
The monument is intended to symbolize that only thanks to the unity and cohesion of people of different nationalities and concessions, our country won this Great Victory. Its creation is a call to the fact that even today fraternal peoples should live in peace.
From the monument we can see a construction site surrounded by a fence behind the trees. There is nothing interesting here yet, but this phenomenon is temporary. Here, the construction of the chapel of the Armenian Apostolic Church in honor of the Armenian soldiers who participated in the Great Patriotic War is in full swing.
Let's return to the intersection again and follow the remaining of the four roads, which leads to Kutuzovsky Prospekt (it can already be seen in the distance). Walking along it, we will come to an unusual building with a triangular dome decorated with a six-pointed Star of David. This is a Jewish memorial synagogue, also erected in memory of the Great Patriotic War.
If we remember all the religious objects that we saw on our way, we can state that almost all the main religions of the peoples who participated in the Great Patriotic War are represented in Victory Park: the Orthodox Church of St. George the Victorious, an Islamic mosque, a Catholic chapel and a Jewish synagogue.
At the exit from the park there is a sculpture depicting a Soviet soldier. If you look closely, you can see even from afar that the shape on it is much more modern than that one. What they wore during the Great Patriotic War. The monument is dedicated to the internationalist soldiers who died in Afghanistan.
The monument was erected in 2004, and five years later another one appeared next to it: a BMD-1 self-propelled gun (Airborne Combat Vehicle) was installed right on the park alley.
A commemorative plaque on the armor states that two anniversaries took place in 2009: the 20th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, as well as the 100th anniversary of the birth of V.F. Margelov, a Soviet military leader considered the founding father of modern airborne troops. There is even a widespread joke among the paratroopers themselves that the abbreviation “VDV” does not mean “Airborne Forces”, but “Uncle Vasya’s Troops” - in honor of Vasily Margelov.
Leaving the territory of Victory Park, we will find ourselves on Kutuzovsky Prospekt. However, let’s first turn not to the right, towards the metro, but to the left. After walking a couple of tens of meters, we will see another monument located on a small hill. The composition consists of three figures of warriors from different eras: an ancient Russian hero, a grenadier from the Patriotic War of 1812 and a soldier of the Soviet army.
The monument is called “Heroes of the Russian Land” and symbolizes the connection of times and the inevitability of victory in the war, if this war is of a liberation nature.
At this point our walk is almost over, but we were quite far from the metro. If you are not tired and the weather permits, you can go back to the park and just take a walk along one of the alleys running parallel to Kutuzovsky Prospekt. Or you can take any public transport running along the avenue and get to the Park Pobedy metro station, from where we started our walk.
Here it is worth paying attention to the monument that at the beginning of the journey we saw only from afar - the Triumphal Gate. The arch, located directly above Kutuzovsky Prospect (cars drive between its columns) was installed in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.
The tradition of installing triumphal gates has existed since ancient times. In 1814, such gates, then still wooden, were installed at the Tverskaya Zastava. It was along the Tver road that Russian troops entered the city, returning from Europe after the victory over Napoleon. In 1834 they were replaced by stone ones.
In 1936, during the execution of the General Plan for the reconstruction of the center of Moscow, the Triumphal Gate was dismantled, its components were placed in the Museum of Architecture, located on the territory of the Donskoy Monastery. According to the plan, upon completion of the reconstruction of Tverskaya Zastava Square, the gate was planned to be returned to its original location. However, for a number of reasons this was not done, and the monument remained in storage for half a century. Only in 1966 it was decided to install it on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, not far from the Battle of Borodino Panorama Museum. So, by 1968, the Triumphal Gate appeared on Kutuzovsky Prospekt.
In 2012, during the anniversary celebrations of the 200th anniversary of Victory in the Patriotic War of 1812, the gate underwent a major reconstruction, so today it looks great.
This concludes our walk.
In contact with
Located in the Western Administrative District of Moscow. Victory Park was opened in a solemn ceremony on May 9, 1995, to mark the 50th anniversary of the great Victory. It is one of the main city venues for holding public events.
Geographical position
Victory Park is bounded from the north by Kutuzovsky Prospekt, from the west by Minskaya Street, from the east by General Ermolov Street, from the south by Brothers Fonchenko Street and the Moscow-Sortirovochnaya railway station of the Kiev direction of the Moscow Railway.
Keith Ruffles, CC BY 3.0In the eastern part of the memorial complex there is Poklonnaya Hill, not far from it is the Moscow metro station “Victory Park”, opened in 2003. In 2017, the Minskaya metro station opened, which increased transport accessibility of the park from Aminevskoye Highway and Minskaya Street.
The official address of the administration of Victory Park (SAUK Moscow “Poklonnaya Gora”): Moscow, Brothers Fonchenko Street, building 7.
History of Victory Park
Poklonnaya Hill was first mentioned in the “Chronicle of Bykhovets”, dated 1368. The chronicle described events in the relations between the Lithuanian and Moscow principalities. It is known that in 1612, Hetman Zholkiewski stayed on Poklonnaya Hill, to whom a delegation arrived from Moscow with the intention of placing the Polish prince Vladislav on the royal throne. In September 1812, on Poklonnaya Hill, Napoleon was waiting for the Moscow boyars with the keys to the Kremlin.
Maxim Ulitin, CC BY 3.0 Until the second half of the twentieth century, the height of Poklonnaya Hill reached several tens of meters, and a beautiful panorama of Moscow opened from it. There is an opinion that travelers climbed it to admire the ancient city and worship its temples, hence its name: “Poklonnaya Hill”.
Church of St. St. George the Victorious in Victory Park Maxim Ulitin, CC BY 3.0 The idea to build a monument to the exploits of the Red Army soldiers who fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War was put forward in 1942 by the Soviet architect Ya. G. Chernikhov. The Moscow branch of the Union of Architects of the USSR adopted a resolution to hold a competition for the best project. It was not possible to implement the idea in wartime conditions.
Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.5 The issue of creating a Monument in Moscow dedicated to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War was returned to after the war. After much debate regarding the location of the future Monument, the choice fell on Poklonnaya Hill.
Maxim Ulitin, CC BY 3.0 On February 23, 1958, a memorial granite sign was installed on Poklonnaya Hill with the inscription: “A monument to the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 will be built here.” In honor of this event, a rally and parade of troops of the Moscow garrison took place on Poklonnaya Hill.
In 1961, trees were planted around the memorial stone and a park was laid out, which was named after the Victory. For many years it was a natural park where Muscovites played sports and walked with their children.
ak ba , CC BY-SA 3.0 In the 1960s, a competition was again announced for the best design of the memorial complex, in which the best architects and sculptors of the Soviet Union took part.
Simm, CC BY-SA 2.5 In 1983, the USSR Council of Ministers entrusted the construction of the complex to the Moscow City Executive Committee and the USSR Ministry of Culture. The Moscow City Committee of the CPSU and the Moscow City Executive Committee proposed to erect a monument at the expense of trade unions and veterans' organizations.
Simm, CC BY-SA 2.5 In the 1980s, 194 million rubles were collected from community cleanups and personal contributions from citizens for the construction of the monument. Subsequently, funds were allocated by the state and the government of Moscow. A plot of land of 135 hectares was allocated for the entire complex.
Construction of the Victory Memorial Complex began in 1985; for some time it was called the “Shock Komsomol Construction”, students and volunteers took part in it. During the construction of the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Poklonnaya Hill was razed and moved deeper into the park.
Niev, Public Domain The money raised in the 1980s was not enough, and construction was suspended for almost 10 years. The Victory Park memorial complex and the building of the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War were considered unfinished construction.
The opening ceremony of the Memorial complex on Poklonnaya Hill took place in the year of the 50th anniversary of the Great Victory, May 9, 1995. The museum complex was opened by the President of the Russian Federation B. N. Yeltsin. On that day, a parade of veterans of the Great Patriotic War took place on Red Square, and a parade of troops and weapons of the Moscow garrison took place on Poklonnaya Hill.
The fountain complex of Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill became the largest in Moscow, and the Victory Monument became the tallest in Russia (its height is 141.8 meters).
Simm, Public Domain In 1995, the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious was built in Victory Park.
In 1995, a monument to “Missing Soldiers without Graves” and a memorial plaque “Spirit of the Elbe” on the Alley of Defenders of Moscow were unveiled on the Alley of Memory.
In 1997, Victory Park was replenished with new objects. The monument “Defenders of the Russian Land”, “Tragedy of Nations” and the Memorial Mosque were unveiled. A year later, the Memorial Synagogue appeared in the park.
Sergey Korovkin, CC BY-SA 3.0 In the 2000s, Victory Park continued to develop. On July 7, 2001, one of the world's largest flower clocks with a diameter of 10 meters was installed on the hill of Poklonnaya Gora. After its launch, the watch was registered in the domestic Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world.
In the 2000s, a chapel was opened in Victory Park in memory of the Spanish volunteers who died in the Great Patriotic War (in 2003), a monument to Internationalist Soldiers (2004), Soldiers of the countries participating in the anti-Hitler coalition (2005) and an ensemble of memorial steles in honor of ten fronts and three fleets of the USSR (2005).
eugeny1988, CC BY-SA 3.0 On December 27, 2009, the Eternal Flame from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was transferred with military honors to the memorial complex on Poklonnaya Hill for the period of reconstruction.
On April 30, 2010, the Eternal Flame was lit on Poklonnaya Hill in a solemn ceremony from a piece of the Eternal Flame from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden. The ceremony ended with the formation of a guard of honor from among the cadets of Moscow military schools at the fire.
Simm, CC BY-SA 3.0 On December 21, 2010, the monument “We were together in the fight against fascism” was unveiled on the Memory Alley, dedicated to all the peoples who defeated Nazism. It was initially assumed that the monument would be an exact copy of the memorial in the city of Kutaisi (Georgia), which was blown up on December 19, 2009 under the pretext of the need for restoration at the direction of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili; however, the appearance of the existing monument has nothing in common with the Kutaisi memorial.
On August 1, 2014, a monument to the Heroes of the First World War was unveiled on Poklonnaya Gora. The opening was attended by Russian President V.V. Putin and Moscow Mayor S.S. Sobyanin.
On November 30, 2015, at the intersection of the Alley of War and Labor Veterans and the Alley of Peace, the foundation stone of the future Monument to the participants in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster was installed.
In 2014, Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill changed its departmental affiliation and became subordinate to the Moscow Department of Culture. The official name of the organization: “GAUK of Moscow “Poklonnaya Gora””.
Director of Victory Park - V. A. Dunaev.
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Helpful information
Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill
Cost of visit
for free
Opening hours
Address and contacts
Moscow, Kutuzovskoe prospect, Poklonnaya Gora
Architectural ensemble of Victory Park and Poklonnaya Gora
- Victory Monument (architects L.V. Vavakin, V.M. Budaev, sculptor Z.K. Tsereteli), design and calculation - TsNIIPSK, under the direction of B.V. Ostroumov)
- Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
- Church of St. George the Victorious on Poklonnaya Hill (architect A. Polyansky) (1995)
- Memorial Mosque (architect I. Tazhiev) (1997)
- Memorial Synagogue and Holocaust Memorial Museum (architect M. Zarkhi) (1998)
- Chapel erected in memory of the Spanish volunteers (2003)
- Open-air exhibition of military equipment and weapons
- Monument to the defenders of the Russian land (sculptor A. Bichukov)
- Sculptural composition “Tragedy of Nations” (sculptor Z. K. Tsereteli) (1995-1996)
- Memorial sign “A monument to the defenders of Moscow will be built here”
- Monument to Internationalist Soldiers
- Monument to the Heroes of the First World War
Main alley
The main alley “Years of War”, located between Victory Square and the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, consists of five terraces symbolizing the five years of war.
225 fountains were erected over five water surfaces - the war lasted for so many weeks and blood was shed.
In the center of the square is an obelisk 141.8 meters high, topped with a statue of the goddess of victory Nike.
At the foot of the obelisk, on a granite podium, there is a symbol of the victory of good over evil - a statue of St. George the Victorious, who kills a snake with a spear.
Museum of the Great Patriotic War
The main object of the complex is the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War.
In the museum building there is a Hall of Memory, where Books of Memory are stored in special display cases - 385 volumes, in which the names of people who died in the war are written.
The museum also has six dioramas dedicated to the main events of the war.
The museum's holdings contain authentic items of weapons and military equipment, numismatics, philately and philocarty, household items, a large number of handwritten documentary and photographic materials, fine art materials telling about the Great Patriotic War, the joint struggle of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition against Germany and its allies.
Exhibition of military equipment and engineering structures
A unique open-air exhibition of military equipment and engineering and fortification structures has been set up in Victory Park.
More than 300 samples of heavy equipment of the USSR and its allies, Germany and its allies that took part in the battles are presented here.
In the west of Moscow there is a huge memorial complex dedicated to the victory in the Great Patriotic War - Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill
Victory Park in Moscow. Poklonnaya Gora
Opening of Victory Park
Victory Park in Moscow. Poklonnaya Gora
Location of Victory Park
Victory Park lies between Kutuzovsky Prospekt, Minskaya Street, Fonchenko Brothers Street and General Ermolov Street
The proposal to create a large-scale memorial to the people's feat was put forward back in 1942, but, of course, it was not possible to implement this idea in wartime conditions.
History of the creation of the Victory Park memorial complex
But in order not to forget about this idea, on February 23, 1958, a memorial granite sign was installed on Poklonnaya Hill, the inscription on which informed everyone that “A monument to the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 will be built here.” Around the same time, trees were planted around this sign and Victory Park was founded. As a result of fundraising carried out from 1970 to 1980, it was possible to collect 194 million rubles. A huge area of 135 hectares was allocated for the memorial complex, after which its construction finally began
The memorial complex includes
Victory Monument, Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Church of St. George the Victorious, Memorial Synagogue and Holocaust Memorial Museum, Chapel in Memory of Spanish Volunteers, Monument to Internationalist Soldiers, Open Air Exhibition of Military Equipment and Weapons, as well as the monument to the “Defenders of the Russian Land”, the monument “To All the Fallen” and the memorial sign itself “A monument to the defenders of Moscow will be built here.” Let's look at them in more detail
Description of the Victory Park memorial complex
In the very center of the square, a 1000-ton obelisk made of high-strength steel rises 141.8 meters high (10 centimeters for each day of the war), covered with bronze bas-reliefs - the Victory Monument. At 122 meters high, a 25-ton bronze figure of the goddess of victory Nike is attached to it. On a granite pedestal at the foot of the Victory Monument, St. George the Victorious hits a snake with a spear - a symbol of evil
The central alley of Victory Park leads from Kutuzovsky Prospekt to Victory Square, at the end of which is the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War
It is in this museum that the very red flag that fluttered over the Berlin Reichstag on April 30, 1945 is kept, and in the display cases of the Hall of Memory there are 385 volumes of the Book of Memory, which contain the names of people who died during the war. The museum also has a Hall of Fame, 6 dioramas dedicated to various events of the war, as well as collections of objects and materials directly related to those troubled times
Temple of St. George the Victorious
Part of the memorial complex, it was founded on Poklonnaya Hill on December 9, 1993
The opening of the Church of St. George the Victorious was also timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War
Memorial Mosque
was erected in memory of Muslim heroes who fought for their homeland and died during the war years
The opening of the mosque took place on the day of the 850th anniversary of Moscow; a community and a madrasah were also opened with it
Memorial Synagogue
was built on Poklonnaya Hill in memory of the victims of the Holocaust
The Memorial Synagogue reminds us of the more than 6 million Jews brutally exterminated by the Nazis during the war.
The memorial complex also includes a chapel erected in memory of the Spanish volunteers who died in the war.
Collection of military equipment in the open air
Victory Park also has a colossal collection of military equipment and engineering and fortification structures, deployed right in the open air. This collection includes more than 300 samples of military equipment from all countries that participated in the Great Patriotic War. Below are several samples of military equipment presented in Victory Park
At the junction of Kutuzovsky Prospekt and Minskaya Street, a monument to the “Defenders of the Russian Land” was erected, embodying the continuity of generations of defenders of the Motherland: a warrior of Ancient Rus' with a sword in his hands, a soldier of the Patriotic War with Napoleon and a hero of the Great Patriotic War
The main alley of the memorial complex, “Years of War,” stretches from Victory Square to the museum, consisting of five terraces symbolizing the five years of war. Above five water surfaces rise 1418 bright scarlet fountains - according to the number of days during which the war raged and blood was shed...
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