Origin of the name Vorobyovy Gory. Observation deck “Sparrow Hills. How to get to the observation deck

Vorobyovy Gory is located on one of the seven hills of the city of Moscow.

They rise at an altitude of 80 meters above the Moscow River and are the most distant place from the Kremlin, where crowds of tourists flock. After all, it is beautiful here both in winter and in summer, there is somewhere to walk, something to see, and getting here is easy - you can get there by metro (nearby is the station of the same name) or by bus. In order not to get lost, advanced youth navigate using a navigator, and those who are accustomed to using paper media will be helped by a map or diagram found and downloaded on the Internet: using the map it is easy to find, for example, the address of the observation deck, from where in the evening you can see simply fantastic panoramas of Moscow, shining colorful lights.

History woven into the area

Why exactly the Vorobyovy Mountains? It turns out that a priest named Sparrow lived here. The village of Vorobyovo attracted the attention of Princess Sophia, the wife of Prince Vasily I, who bought the village from the priest.

A wooden palace Vasily III already built in this place. The building was useful to many kings, for example, Grozny himself took refuge there from the great fire of Moscow, and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich brought his entire family and the young Tsarevich Peter to the palace for the summer.

After a while, under the leadership of Peter’s daughter, wooden churches were rebuilt here, a garden and park were placed and improved, and alleys were laid out. The reconstruction of the royal chambers belonged to Catherine the Great.

Interesting fact: Alexander I dreamed of building the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on the Sparrow Hills, but abandoned this idea due to the high cost of the project.

The observation deck remembers many of the conquerors who encroached on Moscow. From here Khan Girey, Hetman Khotkevich and others looked at the capital, which was revealed before their eyes in all its glory, and from here they turned back, slurping unsaltedly.

The decline of the described area occurred in the 19th century, when a fort was organized here, as mentioned by A.I. Herzen. From here the Bolsheviks fired guns at the Kremlin during the October Revolution. But after their victory they became interested in it great place seriously.

The height of Moscow State University is 182 meters (with the spire - 240 m)

The complex of mansions for senior party workers and the entire nomenklatura called “Ilyich’s Village” fully met the requirements of party bosses and the ideals of communism. Cleanest air, space, beautiful view, what else is required for the well-being of management employees. Today there is a Kremlin hospital there.

In the difficult post-war times, a beautiful high-rise building was erected here as another response to bourgeois countries. In total, 8 high-rise buildings were built in the capital. The largest building in Moscow at that time was the building of Moscow State University.

Attractions

Despite all the efforts of Kaganovich, no other name stuck to the Sparrow Hills. They were stubbornly called Leninist, but the people, following M.A. Bulgakov, called the mountains Vorobyov.

View of the Sparrow Hills from the observation deck

The love of Muscovites and city guests for the area can well be called great. It’s good to take a walk here, wander around on your own or with a tour, and admire the stunning beauty of the capital as seen from the observation deck.

There are many attractions worth seeing here:

1. Moscow State University building.
2. Observation deck.
3. Stone embankment.
4. Armchairman.
5. The Tramplin restaurant is located right on the famous springboard built for the 1980 Olympics.
6. Springs.
7. Pier.
8. Ecological trail.
9. Borodino Alley.
10. Monuments.
11. Churches.

Here is the famous Mamontov Dacha, where they worked in Soviet time Kapitsa, Landau are other outstanding figures of Soviet science.

One of the most beautiful places is waiting for you to visit

When in the capital city, you should definitely visit Sparrow Hills. Here you will find vivid impressions, interesting views, and the opportunity to take wonderful photographs and videos.


You can keep sparrow pictures of extraordinary beauty as a souvenir, as well as give them to friends and acquaintances.

If you are by car, then go to Kosygina Street, leave your car in the parking lot and go up on a chairlift.

When walking along Zlatoglavaya, guests will benefit from a map that will tell you directions and interesting routes.

The map will allow tourists to see all the sights of the Mother See and take an exciting journey along the high bank of the Moscow Coast, which will remain in their memory forever.

Watch the video describing Interesting Facts associated with Sparrow Hills:

Vorobyovy Gory is big park on a slope, in a bend along the bank of the Moscow River. Its territory is 137.5 hectares. In 1987, Vorobyovy Gory became a natural monument; since 1998, it has been a state nature reserve created with the aim of preserving the historical, cultural and natural environment, deciduous forest, located in close proximity to the city center. In 2013, the Vorobyovy Gory reserve was included in the reserve.

In the east, the territory of the Sparrow Hills begins from the Novoandreevsky railway and road bridges over the Moscow River. From the south and west, the territory of the Sparrow Hills is limited by the area adjacent to Kosygina Street. In the north, the border of the Sparrow Hills is the mouth of the Setun River.

Vorobyovy Gory is a spur of the Teplostanskaya Upland, rising 80 meters above the level of the Moscow River. On the slope to the river grow large oaks, ash trees, maples, lindens, birches, alders, willows, and herbaceous plants of broad-leaved forests. Small animals and birds, rare for Moscow, live here.

The territory of the park is crossed by the Luzhnetsky (Luzhnikovsky) metro bridge with the Vorobyovy Gory metro station (until 1999 - Lenin's mountains) On him. Luzhnetsky Bridge was opened on January 12, 1959. Due to errors in the design and construction of the bridge, it had to be completely rebuilt. Work on rebuilding the bridge was completed in 2002.

The Vorobyovy Gory received its name from the village of Vorobyovo, first mentioned in 1453 in the will of Grand Duchess Sofia Vitovtovna. Since 1473, the village was owned by Ivan III. From that time on, it did not leave the Grand Duke's hands. The ill Vasily III was returning to Moscow through Vorobyovo on the eve of his death. He spent several days in the village, entered the city, and the next day, December 3, 1533, died. Ivan the Terrible waited in the Vorobyovsky Palace for the great June fire of 1547. Then about a third of the city burned down.

At the end of the 17th century, during the reign of Princess Sophia, a new Vorobyovsky Palace was built, about 80 fathoms (about 160 meters) long, wooden on stone foundations. It was replaced by the palace of the architect I. Michurin, built in 1732-1735. There were about 250 large and small halls on two floors of the palace.

In 1776, the wooden Prechistensky Palace of Matvey Kazakov was moved to Vorobyovo. It was built as a temporary one on Prechistenka in 1774-1776. The palace burned down in 1812. After him, palace construction in Vorobyovo was not resumed. By the beginning of the twentieth century it was common for middle zone village with Trinity Church, built in 1811-1813. The village survived until 1956, when it was dismantled. There was no place for him near the new University building. Today, only the name and the edge above the river remind us of Vorobyov.

On October 12, 1817, the ceremonial laying of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in memory of the Patriotic War of 1812 took place on Vorobyovy Gory. It was assumed that a temple about 170 meters high would be built with a staircase to the river, with an underground temple - a crypt. But due to changes in the view of the construction program and due to the complexity of the soil in the chosen location, work was stopped in 1826.

Few people know that on the Vorobyovy Gory there is the Vorobyovy reservoir of the Moscow water supply system. This large structure with a capacity of 170,000 cubic meters of water was built in 1902 by architect M.K. Geppener. A beautiful pavilion with an observation deck and a park was erected above the reservoir. During the commissioning and filling of the reservoir with water, water supply engineers poured a bottle of champagne bought at Krynkin’s nearby restaurant into it so that all Muscovites could celebrate this event. Today the reservoir is located on the territory of Mosvodokanal, there is no access to its pavilion.

Vorobyovy Gory has always been used as a vacation spot. In the summer people came here for the whole day, with families, large groups, with their own samovars, food, and drinks. In winter we went skiing here. The continuation of this pre-revolutionary tradition was the construction of a ski jump in 1953. Near the ski jump there is a ski slope and a chair lift.

In 1948, construction work began on a site located 850 meters from the edge of the Sparrow Hills, on reliable ground. The building, 182 meters high and with a spire - 240 meters, was built according to the design of a group of architects led by L.V. Rudnev. On September 1, 1953, the University, the temple of science, was opened. From the University to the edge of the hill on which it is located Observation deck, there is a wide boulevard with flower beds, fountains, cast iron lanterns and busts of outstanding scientists.

At the end of 2014, the Vorobyovy Gory observation deck was reconstructed. It contains an interactive granite map of Moscow. It is expected that in 2015 a monument to the baptist of Rus', Prince Vladimir, will be erected on the Sparrow Hills.

• Favorite vacation spot for tourists, students, newlyweds, bikers and sports car lovers.
• Observation deck at an altitude of 80 m above sea level offers spectacular panoramic view to the city.
• Architectural landmarks‒ sports complex Luzhniki, Shukhov TV Tower, Novodevichy Convent, St. Andrew's Monastery and others.
• The most impressive buildings‒ three Stalinist skyscrapers and the main building of the Moscow state university in the Stalinist Empire style.
• In summer you can do boat trip, ride the cable car, bike, roller skate, feed the animals, just take a walk.
• In winter you can practice skiing here, ski jumping, snowboarding.

One of the most famous park areas of Moscow - favorite place recreation for students, bikers, newlyweds and tourists. Here are located, offering a panoramic view of the whole of Moscow, and the symbol of the Stalinist Empire style - the Main Building of Moscow University.

In the Middle Ages, there were several villages on this site. One of them, Vorobyovo, stood on the current territory of the university. Today, the preserved Church of the Life-Giving Trinity reminds of the village. In 1453, these lands were bought by Princess Sophia, the wife of Moscow Prince Vasily I, and they became part of the royal domain. Prince Vasily III loved this place very much, often visited it and, according to legend, even took refuge here from the Crimean Khan Devlet Giray, who attacked Moscow in 1521. And in 1547, in this village, together with his family, he took refuge from the Moscow fire.

Observation deck

From the observation deck of the Sparrow Hills, located at an altitude of 80 m above sea level, an excellent panorama of the city opens. City holidays are widely celebrated here, where motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts gather. From the observation deck you can see the architectural dominants of the city: the Luzhniki sports complex, the Moscow City business center, and St. Andrew's Monasteries, the building of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Shukhov TV Tower, three Stalinist skyscrapers - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, the skyscraper at the Red Gate and the Ukraine Hotel ", Kremlin domes, monument to Peter I by Zurab Tsereteli.

Address: intersection of st. Kosygin and Universitetsky proezd

Trinity Church

The Church of the Life-Giving Trinity is the only reminder of the village of Vorobyovo that was once located here. At first it was wooden, but at the end of the 18th century. On the instructions of Catherine II, a new Empire church was built in its place under the leadership of the architect Karl Witberg. The temple is operational and is located in close proximity to the observation deck. The bell tower, the main volume and the gallery connecting them are on the same axis, that is, the temple was built by a “ship”. The temple building ends with a large drum with a dome resembling a rotunda, which is quite typical for Empire buildings. However, inside the church has a quadrangular rather than a round configuration. On the outside, it is decorated with Tuscan order columns, pilasters and paintings.

Address: st. Kosygina, 30

St. Andrew's Monastery

At the foot of the Sparrow Hills is the St. Andrew's Monastery. It was founded in the 17th century. favorite of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Fedor Rtishchev in honor of the liberation of Moscow from the invasion of the Crimean Khan Kazy-Girey. Since this happened on the day of remembrance of the martyr Andrei Stratelates, the monastery was consecrated. Initially, the gate temple was wooden, but in 1675 it was rebuilt in stone. Particularly noteworthy are the tiles made by Belarusian masters of the “tsenin” craft, among whom was the famous Stepan Polubes. Later, another stone structure appeared - the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. Today on the territory of the monastery you can see the bell tower, which received its modern look in the middle of the 19th century Throughout the 19th century. Utility buildings were also built around these three buildings.

Address: Andreevskaya embankment, 2

The lands with the royal residence and monastery settlement were owned in turn by several famous noble families - the Saltykovs, Dolgorukovs, Yusupovs, as well as Count Matvey Dmitriev-Mamonov, in whose honor the manor house is often called the “Mamonova Dacha”. After the name of the first owner from the Dolgorukov family, the entire estate was named Vasilyevskoye. There was a noisy social life here, many guests came, and gardens with exotic plants grew around the house. The building of the main house in the Empire style, which can be seen now, most likely belongs to the author of the architect Osip Bove, who built a lot in Moscow after the fire of the War of 1812. Its main feature is the presence of a large domed rotunda. On the facade it is highlighted by a mezzanine and a six-column portico of the Ionic order. The rotunda is echoed by the belvedere towers crowning the two estate wings. The house fits harmoniously into environment: standing on a hill, it allowed guests and owners to enjoy the panorama of Moscow. Now this building houses the Institute of Chemical Physics.

Address: st. Kosygina, 4

XX - XXI centuries

Main building of Moscow State University

In the second quarter of the 20th century. Vorobyovy Gory was renamed Leninsky Gory. It was here that one of the most famous Moscow buildings of the Stalin era was built - the main building of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov. It was built from 1949 to 1953, and was completed after Stalin's death. Its architects were Boris Iofan, Lev Rudnev and Sergei Chernyshev; The sculpture on the facades was done by Vera Mukhina, who initially planned to place her famous composition “Worker and Collective Farm Woman” in front of the building.

The main building of Moscow State University is one of the seven embodied. Its height together with the spire is 240 m. Despite the difficult soils, the Main Building stands strong thanks to the special system of foundation, columns and supports designed by the architect and designer Nikolai Nikitin. The premises of the physics, chemistry and biology faculties were built as separate buildings, forming an entire campus. The general style in which the buildings were erected is usually called a variant of Art Deco, “grand style” or Stalinist Empire style.

The building looks grandiose: a high spire, bas-reliefs, a giant order, expensive materials, luxurious stucco. Inside it was supposed to place everything necessary to ensure autonomy - post office, canteens, hairdressers, shops, etc. There are a lot of legends surrounding the construction of Moscow State University. It is believed that somewhere in the Main building there is even an underground passage and a bomb shelter, an entrance to the express metro (in the area of ​​zone “B”).

Address: Leninskie Gory, 1

the Russian Academy of Sciences

The building of the Russian Academy of Sciences is also impressive in scale. Its construction took 16 years, from 1974 to 1990. In plan, the building resembles two towers that stand side by side. They are surrounded by low extensions included in a single ensemble. On top of the complex is decorated with an intricate golden composition with a clock. Now on the upper floors of the RAS building there is concert hall and an expensive restaurant with panoramic views.

Address: Leninsky Prospekt, 32a

Metropolitan

In 1959, the first open station of the Moscow metro, Vorobyovy Gory, was built in this area. It is located on the Luzhnetsky Bridge over the Moscow River. The construction of the station was fraught with significant difficulties and numerous errors; the station was closed for large-scale reconstruction. Now this is one of the most beloved stations by Muscovites: laconically decorated, spacious, bright, with an opening panorama of the city. It is the station with the longest hall in the Moscow metro, and its glass-enclosed station lobby periodically hosts temporary exhibitions.

Address: Vorobyovy Gory station, Sokolnicheskaya line of the Moscow Metro.

Luzhniki is a large multifunctional sports complex, which, in addition to matches and tournaments, hosts large-scale concerts and public holidays. The main construction took place in the 1950s; later the complex was partially reconstructed in preparation for the famous 1980 Summer Olympics. Many sports competitions in Russia and the world took place in this sports complex. Today you can rent courts here, sports grounds, use the services of a tour desk. Luzhniki has a golf complex, a swimming pool, sports sections, a hotel, a restaurant, and a medical center. There is a large park around the complex, there are several notable sculptures from the 1960s to the 1990s, as well as a small modern octagonal chapel of Prince Vladimir.

Address: Luzhniki, 24 (Bolshoi Sports Arena)

Active recreation on Vorobyovy Gory

The Vorobyovy Gory nature reserve lays wooden paths to several springs in the summer, spring and autumn and organizes “ecological” walking routes. You can book a tour and feed the animals (there are special feed vending machines).

In the Moscow Palace of Children and Youth Creativity (Kosygina St., 17) there are many different clubs and sections. On the territory of the complex you can ride a slide, rent bicycles and tubes.

Almost all toponyms to which the chapters of this multimedia manual are devoted have a special Moscow flavor and are inseparable from the very concept of “Moscow”: Arbat and Teply Stan, Sretenka and Dog Playground, Prechistenka and Sokol. It is impossible to imagine Moscow without Sparrow Hills.

It is no coincidence that this Moscow area was loved by many Russian writers, who mentioned it on the pages of their novels, stories, and poems. It is from the Sparrow Hills that the widest and most picturesque panorama of the capital opens!

Name Sparrow Hills we find on the pages of the works, letters and diaries of N. M. Karamzin, M. Yu. Lermontov, F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy, A. M. Gorky, A. A. Blok and others. Thus, the panorama of the Sparrow Hills brings, according to Leo Tolstoy’s plan, peace in a difficult hour to the soul of Pierre Bezukhov: “Everything, both distant and nearby objects, had that magical crystal shine that only happens at this time of autumn. In the distance one could see the Sparrow Hills, with ancient church and a big white house. And bare trees, and sand, and stones, and roofs of houses, and the green spire of a church, and the corners of a distant white house, all this was unnaturally distinct, cut out in the thinnest lines in the transparent air.”

And another classic of Russian literature, who had an equally acute artistic perception of the world around him, the poet Alexander Blok, once remarked: “Paris from Montmartre is not like Moscow from the Sparrow Hills.”

To more fully analyze the toponym Sparrow Hills, let us turn once again to the book by I. E. Zabelin “History of the City of Moscow”.

“Moscow, indeed, lies “on mountains and valleys,” but these mountains and valleys were formed actually from the flows of its rivers and streams. In essence, in its general outline, Moscow mostly occupies a flat area, which was noticed by foreign travelers back in the 16th century. Within its boundaries there are not even such passes as are found, for example, in its immediate vicinity under the name “Poklonnaya Gory”. The mountains and hills of Moscow are the high banks of its rivers; valleys and swamps low-lying, meadow banks; thus these mountains will only be mountains in a relative sense. The Kremlin is a mountain in relation to Zamoskvorechye in the same way as the area of ​​Ilyinka or Varvarka is a mountain in relation to the low-lying Zaryadye; Maroseyka in relation to Solyanka (Kulizhki); but the Kremlin, Ilyinka, and Maroseyka are equal places in relation to Sretenka, Myasnitskaya, etc.”

What Sparrow Hills actually special mountains, which are not related to the most common meaning of this word in the Russian language (according to explanatory dictionaries, a mountain “a significant hill rising above the surrounding area”), was figuratively played out in his poem, which is called “Sparrow Hills”, by the poet Apollon Maikov :

Professor E.M. Murzaev, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, a well-known domestic specialist in toponymy and folk geographical terms, while studying the toponymy of Moscow, described terms popular in the geographical names of the capital settlement, field, shore, dirt, garden, gate, shaft and others. E.M. Murzaev also analyzed those names in which the term was included mountain. The researcher (like many others) found it difficult to answer the question: what is considered a mountain and what is a hill? “Kremlin hill, flat surface of the Lenin Mountains cliff (this article by E. M. Murzaev was published in 1985. M.G.). Where is the mountain in the Sokolinaya Gora microdistrict? In the toponymy of Moscow, the word “mountain” occurs frequently, giving rise to names based on different models. It often appears in the diminutive form slide. Let's list a few: Vladykina Gorka Street; Krasnogorsk passages through the Krasnaya Gorka area; Podgorskaya embankment and Khoroshevskaya Gorka street (formerly simply Gorka); Nagornye streets; boulevard, lanes, Trekhgorny Val street and Trekhgorny lanes. There are many streets of Sokolinaya Gora, marked with numbers. Finally, let’s remember the well-known Lenin Mountains, from where a wide panorama of the capital opens. This name appeared in 1935 and replaced Vorobyovy Gory.”

I’ll say right away: regarding the exact date, year of replacement of the toponym Vorobievs mountains on the name Lenin's mountains There are discrepancies in scientific and reference literature. Professor E.M. Murzaev names 1935; the author of articles and books about “toponymic Leninianism” I. A. Erofeev believes that the renaming was made in 1924; the same date is indicated in the reputable reference publication encyclopedia “Moscow”, and knowledgeable Moscow archivists, compilers of the “Moscow Street Index 1917-1982”. in their publication they show that the toponym Lenin's mountains officially appeared on the map of Moscow in 1936. One thing is indisputable: the name of the Lenin Mountains was included in the vast Moscow “toponymic Leniniana”, where there were Ilyich Zastava and Tulinskaya Street, Ulyanovskaya Street and Leninsky Prospekt, Leninskaya Square and Leninskaya Sloboda Street, Electromechanical Plant named after. V.I. Lenin, dozens of others, including even the Tea Packing Factory named after. V.I. Lenin (it received its name in 1936).

What do proper name experts know about the history of the pseudonym itself? Lenin, which actually became his main surname? Any secret and underground activity (including revolutionary and terrorist), persecuted by the authorities, often causes people involved in this activity to live, work, publish under fictitious, false names, patronymics and surnames. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov had more than a hundred of them; he often signed his articles with pseudo-initials, as well as the names K. Tulin, Petrov, Karpov, K. Ivanov, R. Silin and others. First time signature Lenin was used by a thirty-year-old revolutionary in 1901 in a letter to G.V. Plekhanov. In December of the same year, signature Lenin appeared in print. After October 1917, the head of the Bolshevik Party and the new state signed all documents, articles, books with his real last name, but added his main pseudonym to it in parentheses V. Ulyanov (Lenin). By the way, until 1918 he did not sign V. Lenin, A N. Lenin obviously in connection with the secret nickname Nikolai.

To this day, it remains unclear why V.I. Lenin chose this particular pseudonym for himself. What is its basis: an ordinary common word, some other name or designation? A similar question was asked to Lenin’s wife N.K. Krupskaya. She answered it in 1924 in the party press: “Dear comrades! I don’t know why Vladimir Ilyich took the pseudonym “Lenin”; I never asked him about it. His mother’s name was Maria Alexandrovna, his deceased sister’s name was Olga. The Lena events took place after he took this pseudonym. He was not in exile on Lena. The pseudonym was probably chosen by chance."

And yet, modern researchers have a reasoned assumption. Signature Lenin in a letter to G.V. Plekhanov, Ulyanov could have been chosen by analogy with one of Plekhanov’s pseudonyms Volgin(which was based on the name of the great Russian river Volga). Plekhanov's pseudonym Volgin appeared back in 1896. If the hypothesis is correct, then the alias Lenin associated with the name of the great Siberian river Lena.

True, there is another version. Its authors also believe that the pseudonym Lenin came from the name of a river in Siberia, but they admit that this could have been influenced by the surname of the then famous agronomist and public figure S.N. Lenin. Vladimir Ulyanov cited his articles more than once in his works, and could have borrowed the scientist’s real name for his pseudonym. In any case, it is worth recalling that no one can erase the names of the largest political figures, nor the fact of their existence and activities from the history of the country: such an attitude is as senseless as it is dangerous. This can also be recalled to people who would like to completely remove V.I. Lenin from the history of Russia. The tragedy that led to the experiment of Lenin and his party over Russia and its peoples is a topic for another conversation.

Now let's return to the history of the Moscow area that interests us and its name, returned from oblivion, Sparrow Hills. More than a hundred years ago, in 1887, “Guide to Moscow and its environs” wrote: “ Sparrow Hills. Directions Steamboat runs 8 times a day back and forth from Kanava, 20 kopecks each. per person; the second path is from the Kaluga outpost, and from there 3 miles; The road to Mamonov's dacha is a highway, and then clay and dirt. Trinity Day, during the temple holiday, folk festival. The restaurant is downstairs near the river, the second one is up on the mountain, where you can get a telescope.”

The Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, mentioned in the guidebook (Pierre Bezukhov also saw it in the excerpt from the novel “War and Peace”), like most Moscow Orthodox churches, had and continues to have a second specifying the location part of the name: the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on the Sparrow Hills. It has survived to this day, happily avoiding the bitter fate of many other closed, destroyed or rebuilt churches in Moscow. The temple was built here in village of Vorobyovo, which gave its name to this high bank of the Moscow River in 1811 and therefore can serve as one of the examples of classicism in Moscow church architecture. On the eve of the famous council in Fili, which was already described in our manual in connection with the history of the toponym Fili, M.I. Kutuzov prayed here, on the Sparrow Hills, in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity. Before him, here, in Vorobyovo, there was an older Trinity Church since 1644, and the Vorobyovo church was known even earlier, which is why the village of Vorobyovo was officially considered village.

Not too much is known about the village of Vorobyovo. It is important that it was one of the oldest settlements in the vicinity of Moscow: Vorobyovo was purchased by Princess Sofia Vitovtovna this happened no later than 1453, since in 1453 Sophia, the daughter of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vitovt and the wife (in 1390-1425) of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily I, died. It was unusual woman: during the early childhood of her son, Vasily II, Sofya Vitovtovna successfully ruled the principality, actively participated in the fight against appanage princes, and in 1451 led the defense of Moscow from the Tatars. From the moment of acquisition by Princess Sophia, the village of Vorobyovo became a palace grand ducal, and then royal summer residence. According to P.V. Sytin, the Grand Duchess bought the village for herself from a certain priest nicknamed Sparrow. From here the origin of the toponym becomes clear: the village, like many others, was named after its owner. Nickname Sparrow most likely it was connected with the appearance of the former owner of the village (this could be called a medium-sized, short person) or some noticeable features of his character and behavior.

It’s worth eliminating a common mistake regarding common nouns along the way. sparrow, bird names. For some reason, the version that this nondescript bird, constantly looking for food for itself, was considered a thief has become widespread (but where can a sparrow compare with crows and magpies in this?). That's why the exclamation-phrase “Beat the thief!” supposedly turned into a word over time sparrow. In fact, this is a typical example of “folk etymology” that has nothing to do with true history words sparrow. In Slavic languages, its analogues are known, associated with the same root: in Ukrainian Gorobets, Belarusian verabey, Bulgarian vrabec, Serbo-Croatian Vrabac, Czech vrabec, Polish wr ó bel etc. Academician N. M. Shansky, one of the authors of the “Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language,” believes that the word sparrow native Russian, i.e., which arose directly in the Russian language with the help of a suffix -ii (>-to her) from the same base as the Slavic names of this bird like the Polish wrabel. The scientist believes that since ancient times the Slavs called the bird by its chirping: the onomatopoeic basis in the words sparrow, sparrow, little sparrow the same as in the word coo. Let us remind you that the basis of this verb, like the verb grumble, was the word that is no longer preserved work. In Russian dialects the word is known vorkot with suffix -from, formed according to the type of a commonly used and no less ancient noun bolt. The very word work this is Old Russian vkr, arising from an onomatopoeic root var- and suffix -k.

Not only in the name of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity “on the Sparrow Hills” and the Sparrow Hills themselves, the ancient toponym has survived to this day Vorobyovo village. In this part of the capital there is Vorobyovskaya embankment, Vorobyovskoe highway, two Vorobyovsky passages.

The experts are right literary places capital K. Starodub, V. Emelyanov and I. Krausov, who draw the attention of readers to the fact that writers of different schools and trends who turned to the image of Moscow were united in one thing: Vorobyovy Gory invariably set them in a poetic mood, and significant, bright events that determined the fate of the heroes were sometimes connected precisely with this place in Moscow.

Metro station: Vorobyovy Gory

Vorobyovy Gory is an area located on the high right bank of the Moscow River. In 1935 it was renamed and became known as the Lenin Mountains. However, the historical name did not leave the lexicon; the people more often used the phrase Vorobyovy Gory. In 1999, the previous name was returned. This hill is one of the seven hills of Moscow. This analogy with Rome appeared back in the 16th century, when Moscow was actively being rebuilt. Now on the Sparrow Hills there is a park of the same name. Very popular among tourists and Moscow residents Observation deck. Its height relative to the river level is 80 m. From the observation deck on Vorobyovy Gory, perhaps one of the most picturesque views of the capital opens.

History of Sparrow Hills

As shown archaeological excavations, held on the Sparrow Hills in the 19th century, ancient settlements existed on this site already in the 1st millennium BC. e. The name Vorobyovy Gory comes from the village of Vorobyovo, which was located here back in the 14th century. The village is named after the famous boyar family - the Vorobievs - who were its original owners. In 1453, the village was bought by Princess Sofia Vitovtovna, the wife of Prince Vasily I. A wooden palace was built here. Thus, Vorobyovo becomes a popular residence of Moscow princes, and subsequently Russian tsars and emperors. The palace was rebuilt several times. In 1812 it was destroyed by fire. Since the 19th century Vorobyovy Gory is popular dacha place and a place to relax.

In 1949, construction of a new building for Moscow State University began in the village of Vorobyovo. As a result, only the Trinity Church remained from the village. Interesting history of this ancient temple. It is known that already at the time of the purchase of the village of Vorobyovo by Princess Sophia, there was an ancient wooden church here. Subsequently, it was rebuilt several times. Preserved on this moment Construction of the stone Trinity Church began in 1811. Construction was interrupted Patriotic War, and completed in 1813. It is known that in 1812 M.I. Kutuzov prayed there. It is noteworthy that Trinity Church did not close in the 20th century.

Vorobyovy Gory and modernity

In 1953, a ski jump was built on Vorobyovy Gory, which is still in use today. Also popular ski slope, chairlifts are operating. Various competitions are held on Vorobyovy Gory, for example mountain biking.

In 1958, a metro bridge was built with the Vorobyovy Gory station (at the time of opening the station was called Leninsky Gory).

At the end of the 20th century, the Vorobyovy Gory State Nature Reserve was created. Its main goal is to protect the nature of Moscow. Now the park is a protected natural area. Ecological trails have been created. Excursions are available.

Now Vorobyovy Gory is a popular tourist place. Both Muscovites and guests of the capital love to come here. The observation deck offers a beautiful panorama of Moscow. And the park stretching along the embankment is perfect for walks and active rest. On the Sparrow Hills there is an interesting architectural landmark of Soviet times - the main building of Moscow State University. Lomonosov (about him will be written in more detail below). Also among the architectural attractions of the Sparrow Hills are the Trinity Church, located at the foot of the St. Andrew's Monastery, old manor Mamonova dacha.

Moscow State University building on Vorobyovy Gory

The main architectural landmark of Sparrow Hills is the main building of Moscow State University. Its spire towers over the entire surrounding area and is visible from afar. The height of the building is 182 m, and the height with the spire is 240 m. The number of floors of the central building is 36. The Moscow State University building on Vorobyovy Gory is one of the famous “ Stalin's skyscrapers" In 1947, at the suggestion of I.V. Stalin, the Council of Ministers decided to build eight high-rise buildings - they were supposed to symbolize the 800th anniversary of Moscow, which was celebrated in 1947. However, the construction of one of the buildings was stopped after Stalin's death. According to the authors, the high-rise buildings were supposed to surround the Palace of Soviets - grandiose project, which was never realized. The style of the seven high-rise buildings built was called Stalinist Empire.

They were involved in the construction of the Moscow State University building on Vorobyovy Gory the best specialists that time. The work began in 1948, and was supervised by Beria himself. B. M. Iofan was appointed chief architect. He developed the general composition of the building. However, he subsequently disagreed with foundation specialists about the location of the building. Soon B. M. Iofan was removed. Further work was carried out under the leadership of the architect L.V. Rudnev. It is noteworthy that the topic of his diploma work was called “University large city" The laying of the first stone took place in 1948. The work (construction, interior decoration, landscaping of the adjacent territory) was completed in 1953. On September 1 of this year, the first training sessions were held in the new building. For 37 years, the main building of Moscow State University on Vorobyovy Gory was the most tall building Europe (in 1990 the championship passed to Frankfurt).

Luzhniki

On the opposite bank of the Moscow River is the Luzhniki Olympic Complex. It is clearly visible from the observation deck on Vorobyovy Gory.

Particularly noteworthy is the main sports facility of Luzhniki - the stadium of the same name. Its construction began in 1955, and already in 1956 the grand opening took place. Since then, the stadium has been rebuilt many times.

Many sporting events were held at the Luzhniki Stadium. In 1980 he became central place Moscow Olympics. Also popular concert venue. For example, in 1990 the last concert of the Kino group took place here. It was attended by 72 thousand residents. During the concert, the Olympic flame was lit for the 4th and last time at the stadium. Other major concerts were also held: Michael Jackson (1993), Madonna (2006), Metallica (2007), Red Hot Chili Peppers and Gogol Bordello (2012), etc. In 2008, the UEFA Champions League final Chelsea took place at the Luzhniki Stadium " - "Manchester United".

In 2018, Luzhniki will host the FIFA World Cup. It is planned to host the opening match, one of the semi-finals and the final. The stadium is currently closed for reconstruction. This is the largest stadium in Russia and one of the largest in the world. The size of the field is 105x68 m. By 2018, it is planned to accommodate 81,000 seats in the stands. The option of demolishing the stadium and building a new one in its place was considered, but in the end it was decided to reconstruct the existing one.