Sparrow Hills Park

Park Sparrow Hills (Vorobyovy Gory) is an extensive park along the western high bank of the Moskva River that stretches for several kilometres of woodland and rises up to 70 metres above the water. From 1935 to 1999 the hill was known as the Lenin Hills; on its plateau stands one of the seven Stalin-era skyscrapers, the monumental Lomonosov University completed in 1953. The viewing platform in front offers what is probably the most familiar Moscow skyline view: Luzhniki Stadium, the Kremlin towers and the high-rises of the Moscow business district set far across the river. A chairlift descends the slope to the ski jump, families toboggan in winter, and in summer wedding parties arrive in convoys for photos - the tradition of brides and grooms hanging padlocks on the railings made the park one of the city's most popular spots.