As time goes by, there are less and less of the symbols of the old regime in Moscow. You have to look on older public buildings to see the dramatic Red Star and 'Serp y Mallot' (the Hammer and Sickle) designs which were once a feature of every building, poster and public sculpture. Amongst the most famous examples is the huge statue by Vera Moukhina called 'Worker and Kolkhoz Woman' which is 25 metres in height and depicts a man carrying a hammer and a woman carrying a sickle striding forward together.
It was created in 1937 for the International exhibition in Paris and afterwards it was placed at the northern entrance to the VVT, the huge attraction park founded by the Soviets in 1939. The statue is currently being restored and is due to be replaced in 2009. The park is located north of Moscow on the Prospekt Mira (nearest Metro is VDNKh) and during the communist period it was one of Moscow's principal tourist attractions. It consists of over 70 large 'pavilions', each one dedicated to one of the old republics or a branch of science, space exploration or technology. The pavilions are all different in style, ranging from a stylised wooden structure representing Karelia to the beautifully tiled and decorated Ukrainian and Armenian buildings. The grounds are reminiscent of the glorious architecture of ancient Rome, statues abound and the main entrance is a huge triumphal arch. Inside are gardens, lakes and beautiful fountains with cafes and bars dotted here and there.
The pavilions themselves are no longer state controlled, having passed into the hands of private enterprises in 1991. As a result of this there is a huge number of small kiosks and shops inside them but the original style has been retained.
Other recent additions are a circus- don't be surprised to meet the elephants out for a walk in the park-, a son et lumiere show and a big fairground guaranteed to test the nerves of the bravest souls on the white knuckle rides. On a hot summers day it's good to follow the example of many Moscow families and spend the afternoon here.
David Turner
Nov 15, 2008
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