Gorky Park (9, Krymskiy Val, Moscow)
Gorky Park (9, Krymskiy Val, Moscow) – this was a one-time amusement park that was transformed in 2011 (removing the outdated rides that were once there). Nowadays, sports & recreational activities such as aerobics, yoga and salsa dancing, can be found there, along with an open-air cinema. During the cold months, there’s an 18,000 sq. meter ice rink (with separate areas for children), hockey, dancing, and ice skating. To the surprise of American visitors in particular, a Soviet version of the Space Shuttle, called Buran (Russian for “blizzard”), can be found here. Free entry. Open 24 hours.
Note: this Gorky Park (named after Bolshevik writer and political activist Maxim Gorky) is a far cry from the grim public space that was portrayed in the 1983 Hollywood murder mystery film of the same name (that starred actor William Hurt). The atmosphere of present-day Gorky Park resembles New York’s Central Park.