Izmailovo

IzmailovoRussian: Измайлово is both a large district of Moscow and a park well known to Muscovites and visitors to the capital. The earliest reliable data on the village located on this site dates back to the 15th century. The beauty of this protected green area rivals that of the capital’s best parks. Moreover, Izmailovo offers perfect opportunities to relax and learn about the history of Moscow. The most popular attractions here include the Kremlin in IzmailovoRussian: Kreml’ v Izmaylovo or Кремль в Измайлово, the Izmailovo Museum ReserveRussian: muzey-zapovednik “Izmaylovo” or музей-заповедник «Измайлово», and Izmailovsky Recreation ParkIzmaylovskiy park kul’tyry i otdykha or Измайловский парк культуры и отдыха. The place is also home to a market of souvenirs and antiquities, the most popular one among tourists, and plenty of uniquely themed museums and workshops, which will keep you entertained for a whole day.

THE KREMLIN IN IZMAILOVO

The Kremlin in Izmailovo is located opposite PartizanskayaRussian: Партизанская metro station. You won’t miss it: it looks astoundingly impressive even from afar. Contrary to expectations, this cultural and historical complex was constructed not so long ago, as late as in the early 21st century. The complex is a large-scale copy of an Old Russian castle comprising genuine towers, fortress walls, a barbican bridge, chambers, and even an Orthodox church. The entrance to the Kremlin is guarded by streltsyRussian guardsmen of the 16th–early 18th centuries at all times. Visitors have an opportunity to climb the bell tower to take breathtaking photos, ring the bells, and enjoy the beautiful decorations adorning the structures.

The fair of souvenirs and antiques has long become an independent sight of the Kremlin in Izmailovo. Leaving the Kremlin complex without a purchase is totally out of the question: you will find a great variety of gifts to satisfy any taste. Long rows of stalls laden with matryoshkastraditional Russian nesting dolls, painted wooden spoons, dolls, and ushankasa Russian fur cap with ear flaps that can be tied up to the crown of the cap, or fastened at the chin represent only the first half of the famous Izmailovo VernissageRussian: Izmaylovskiy vernisazh or Измайловский вернисаж. Here, you can find not only traditional souvenirs but also memorabilia and collectibles: coins, military paraphernalia, old musical records, and a lot more.

As you walk on, you will find a flea market where you can buy genuine antiquities such as bronze pieces, samovarsmetal containers traditionally used to heat and boil water, tableware, and icons dated to different epochs. Prices are negotiable; bargaining is a must. Izmailovo Vernissage where Moscow painters put their works up for sale is open every weekend; there is something for every taste and budget there.

 The Kremlin in Izmailovo also offers various types of entertainment: horse riding, dining in a traditional Russian cuisine restaurant, ancient craft masterclasses, guided tours and quests around the complex, and other activities. However, the biggest treasure of this place is its unique museums and workshops: The Museum of BreadRussian: Muzey hleba or Музей хлеба, The Museum of ChocolateRussian: Muzey shokolada or Музей шоколада, The Museum of Russian Folk ToysRussian: Muzey russkoy igrushki or Музей русской игрушки, The Museum of History of Vodka in Izmailovo is the most popular attraction. With only several halls, the museum is not large but extremely interesting. Its permanent exhibition is entitled The 500-Year History of Russian Vodka. It tells the story of five major epochs in the development of the culture of consuming this alcohol drink: the Old Russian epoch, the Russian Empire, [tooltip text="World War II"]the Great Patriotic WarRussian: Muzey istorii vodki or Музей истории водки, the Soviet Union, and modern-day Russia.
All in all, the museum displays over 1,000 different types of vodka, some of which are included in the permanent exhibition. At the entrance, visitors are offered a glass of medovukha, another traditional alcoholic beverage based on honey (included in the entrance fee). A good place to continue with the feast would be TraktirRussian: Трактир (Tavern) or KnyazhyeRussian: Княжье (Prince’s) cafés serving traditional Russian dishes.

Izmailovo Wedding Palace

Another thing that puts the Kremlin in a class of its own is Wedding Palace No.5Russian: Dvorets brakosochetaniya № 5 or Дворец бракосочетания № 5, designed in the Naryshkin Baroquea particular style of Baroque architecture and decoration which was fashionable in Moscow from the turn of the 17th into the early 18th centuries style of the 17th century. Lovebirds can have their marriage registered here, then have a church wedding in Saint Nicholas’ ChurchRussian: hram sv. Nikolaya or храм св. Николая, and finally celebrate the occasion in one of the many restaurants or banquet halls nearby. Next to the Palace, you will see the Tree of HappinessRussian: Derevo schastya or Дерево счастья where newlyweds hang little love padlocks as lucky charms for a long and happy marriage.

The Kremlin is neighboured by the Izmailovo HotelRussian: gostinitsa "Izmaylovo" or гостиница "Измайлово", one of the largest in Moscow. The complex was built to serve the guests of the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games. It can accommodate over 3,500 people, consisting of a few 3- and 4-star hotels and over 15 restaurants serving dishes of different national cuisines, such as Mikhail SvetlovRussian: Михаил Светлов, MoskovskyRussian: Московский, SlaviaRussian: Славия, ScandiaRussian: Скандия, LuxRussian: Люкс, and others. You can also visit a Russian bath and recreation complex, a gym, a bowling alley, a billiards club, and a sauna, among other leisure facilities.

IZMAILOVO MUSEUM RESERVE

The man-made Izmailovo Island is located opposite the Kremlin in Izmailovo, surrounded by a chain of Serebryano-Vinogradnye (Silver-Grape) pondsRussian: Серебряно-Виноградные пруды. In the middle of it, there is a unique historical complex of architectural monuments—the Izmailovo Tsar’s EstateRussian: Tsarskaya usad'ba "Izmailovo" or царская усадьба "Измайлово" dating back to the 18th–19th centuries. The staple of the museum is the exhibition entitled Izmailovo: The 17th-Century Tsar’s Family Estate, which details the history of the tsar’s residence. Apart from this, you can admire the stately Intercession (Pokrovsky) CathedralRussian: Pokrovskiy sobor or Покровский собор, the Front and Back GatesRussian: Perednie i Zadnie v'ezdnye vorota or Передние и Задние въездные ворота to the estate, a chain of ponds, and the administrative premises dating back to the 17th–19th centuries.

The island was created by an imperial order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovichthe tsar of Russia from 1645 until 1676, father of Peter the Greatruled from 1682 to 1725, in the family estate of the Romanovrulers of Russia from 1613 until the Russian Revolution of February 1917 boyarsa member of the highest rank of the feudal society in Russia. During the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Izmailovo looked more like European botanical gardens. The Tsar, who was passionate about gardening, created a nursery garden here and a place to relax away from the crowds. Emperor Peter the Great spent much of his early youth at this estate, sailing his first ship, a small English boat, and practicing the basics of military art together with his toy army. The 17th-century Mostovaya (Bridge) TowerRussian: Mostovaya bashnya or Мостовая башня served as the front gate to the estate. Today, the tower houses the Moscow Dutchware exhibition.

IZMAILOVSKY RECREATION PARK

The hotel complex is neighboured by Moscow Izmailovsky ParkRussian: Izmaylovskiy park or Измайловский парк, Europe’s largest urban park, which occupies over 1,500 hectares. It was established in 1930, when it was called Stalin ParkRussian: Park imeni Stalina or Парк имени Сталина. The area is divided conventionally into two parts: Izmailovsky Recreation Park and Izmailovsky Urban Forest ParkRussian: lesopark “Izmaylovo” or лесопарк «Измайлово», separated by the Central LaneRussian: Glavnaya alleya or Главная аллея. The park is appealingly well-groomed and offers plenty of walking space and entertainment facilities. The park contains approximately twenty sportsgrounds.

Things to do in Izmailovo park

In the Izmailovo park, you can ride one of the two Ferris wheels, a roller coaster, a horse, take a ride in a horse-drawn sleigh or a small train, hire roller skates or ice skates, or enjoy a water ride at the Krugly (Round) PondRussian: Kruglyi prud or Круглый пруд in a rowing or pedal boat. The Big Ferris WheelRussian: Bolshoe koleso obozreniya or Большое колесо обозрения is almost 50 meters high, giving you a bird’s eye view of the whole park and the sights nearby.
The major attractions in the northern part of the park include an amusement ride site, an adventure park, a sporting equipment rental, and a bow/crossbow shooting range. The central part of the park boasts five tennis courts, a pond with boat hire, recreation grounds for games like ice stock (an equivalent of kaluiten, an Alpine folk game), sjoelbak, cornhole, shuffleboard, workout, minifootball, and some others. There is a 5D cinema next to the Big Ferris Wheel, which plunges the viewer into the virtual reality of adventure films.

The Izmailovo ApiaryRussian: Izmailovskaya paseka or Измайловская пасека, set up in tsarist times, is also located in the urban forest. In the mid-19th century, it was the site of Russia’s first museum, exhibiting a unique collection of beehives. Nowadays, this historic location is home to the Tsarskaya Paseka (Imperial Apiary) Environmental and Educational CentreRussian: ekologo-prosvetitelskiy tsentr «Tsarskaya paseka» or эколого-просветительский центр «Царская пасека», where you can see the TsarRussian: Царь, TsarinaRussian: Царица, and TsarevnaRussian: Царевна beehives, relax by the pond, take a walk along the picturesque pathways, or take a rest in an arbour. The centre also runs environmental excursions and programmes.

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