Sparrow Hills (Vorobyovy Gory (in 1935-1999 – Leninskiye Gory)) – the name of the area in the south-west of Moscow, which is a high right bank in the bend of the Moskva River (a steep cliff of the Teplostan Upland, washed away by the river), covered with a forest park.
Located opposite the Luzhniki Stadium, they are considered one of the “seven hills of Moscow”. They stretch from the mouth of the Setun River to the Andreevsky Bridge of the Small Ring of the Moscow Railways. In the east they border on the Neskuchny Garden and Gorky park. They rise above the Moscow River up to 80 meters.
The slope facing the Moscow River is dissected by deep ravines, along which small rivers used to run: Chura with tributaries, Krovyanka and Kotlovka; groundwater outlets (springs) occur, landslide processes are observed. The landscape of the Sparrow Hills forms a park of the same name, which includes three ponds, as well as an array of broad-leaved forests.
Sparrow Hills is one of the most beautiful places in Moscow. The high right bank of the Moskva River at all times attracted attention with its dense forest, complex terrain and wonderful views of the river. Sparrow Hills offers the widest and most picturesque panorama of the capital.
Sparrow Hills are one of the most significant and visited places in Moscow along with Red Square and the Kremlin.
In 1958, the Luzhnetsky metro bridge was built across the Vorobyovy Gory with the Leninskiye Gory metro station located on it (after 1999 – Vorobyovy Gory), connecting Komsomolsky Prospekt and the Moscow State University area. An escalator was built near the exit from the station, leading to Kosygin Street, which made it possible to climb towards the observation deck (now destroyed).
In 1953, the Great Ski Jump was built on Sparrow Hills according to the project of engineer Galli: an illuminated ski slope with a chair lift 340 meters long. In the summer of 2016 it was completely dismantled as part of the program for the reconstruction of the sports complex on Vorobyovy Gory.
Cable car
After the dismantling of the old cable car, the construction of a new one for the World Cup in 2018 began, the task of which is to connect Luzhniki and the observation deck on Sparrow Hills with an intermediate stop on Vorobyovskaya Embankment.
On November 26, 2018, the official opening of the cable car took place with the participation of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin (without the Novaya Liga station). For passengers, it became available a day later. As of December 2019, 1.8 million passengers used the cable car.
Main characteristics:
Type: Detachable combined cable car with 8-seat gondolas and 4-seat chairs
Slope length: 720 meters (2 sections)
Stations: 3
Elevation difference: 60 m
Equipment manufactured by the Swiss company Bartholet Maschinenbau AG. 8-seater gondolas run along the line with left-hand traffic, in winter there are also 4-seater hanging chairs on section No. 2. The gondolas are designed by Porsche Design Studio and are equipped with audio guides in four languages (Russian, English, German, Chinese), Wi-Fi, monitors, MP3 players, interior and exterior lighting. In winter, they can be equipped with places for skis, and in summer – for bicycles. Gondolas can be quickly added and removed from the line. A total of 35 gondolas were purchased; two of them are in VIP version.
The cable car has 3 stations:
Luzhniki is on the left bank of the Moskva River near the Grand Sports Arena. On the lower floor of the rectangular two-story building of the station there are ticket offices, cafes and trade kiosks, on the second floor there are rooms for boarding and disembarking passengers. For the convenience of passengers with dissabilities, the station is equipped with an elevator. The design of the station is made of mirror-polished steel panels and impact-resistant glass.
Novaya Liga is on the right bank of the Moskva River on Vorobyovskaya Embankment. As of January 2020, station operation is limited due to the winter ski season. In the future, the station will be mainly used to lift skiers to the Vorobyovy Gory station.
Vorobyovy Gory is the upper station, located on Kosygin Street near the observation deck on Vorobyovy Gory.
How to get to?
The cable car can be reached on foot from the metro and MCC stations: Sokolnicheskaya line – Sportivnaya, Sokolnicheskaya line – Vorobyovy Gory, Moscow Central Ring – Luzhniki.
Working days
Monday – 16:00-21:00, Tuesday-Thursday – 11:00-21:00, Friday – 11:00-23:00, Saturday and holidays – 10:00-23:00, Sunday – 10:00: 00-21:00.
Fees
Prices start from 100 roubles for adults (Monday) on one direction.
See also all parks of Moscow, all entertainment of Moscow.
