A. Gorky Park, officially named Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure, is a very popular place with the residents and guests of Moscow. It covers about 250 hectares and stretches along the bank of the Moskva River. The huge park is actually very close to the centre of the busy city – it is between Garden Ring and Third Ring Road and you can easily get there by bus or by Metro. The nearest Metro metro station is Park Kultury, and there are a few more stations within walking distance.

B. Gorky Park was the first amusement park created in the Soviet Union. It was opened in 1928 and became a model for lots of other parks set up across the country. In 2011, Gorky Park had major reconstruction and the amusement rides were removed. The place turned into an eco-friendly zone which works non-stop and is accessible round-the-clock, day and night, seven days a week. There is no entrance fee.

C. Gorky Park is a large recreational zone in a megapolis which gives its people an opportunity to relax and entertain in the open air. However, not all the seasons in Russia are warm enough for outdoor activities. Does this mean that in winter Gorky Park turns into a deserted place? Of course not! Gorky Park turns into a huge skating rink where people skate along the alleys, beautifully decorated with colourful lights.

D. You may be surprised to find a club for young naturalists in Gorky Park but it is really there and it is called Green School. Parents think it is a very good idea as city children do not have lots of opportunities to watch animals. On the territory of Green School they can see rabbits, parrots, turtles and other animals. Apart from that mini-zoo, children are welcomed to the garden, greenhouse, woodwork shop and library.

E. A quarter of a million people visit Gorky Park at weekends, which is a convincing indication of its popularity. There you can see students getting ready for their tests on the green grass, people practicing yoga and those taking dancing or drawing lessons in the open air. The spacious park provides lanes for jogging, table tennis equipment and football and volleyball pitches. You can also hire a bike or take part in the numerous workshops.

F. Probably, there’s no person in Russia who has never heard of Gorky Park. Due to its popularity, it has been the setting for a number of films. The park was described in the novel Gorky Park by Martin Smith, which was later made into a film with the same name. The famous single Wind of Change by the rock band Scorpions refers to Gorky Park in the early 1990s. And, of course, Gorky Park, the Russian hard rock band that named itself after the park, contributed to the atmosphere of the place.