WHAT TO SEE: Zaryadye Park
The only city park in the world with an artificial ice cave, Zaryadye Park is definitely worth a meander. Sprawled on the bank of the Moscow River and adjacent to the Red Square, the Kremlin, and St. Basil’s Cathedral, Zaryadye Park opened in 2017 for the city’s 870th birthday—the first new public park in Russia in half a century. Its massive floating bridge extends over the freeway to the river in the shape of a birds-eye “V”. It was designed by Hargreaves Associates, the same architectural firm that brought New York City its Highline Park, with the endemic flora, fauna, and landscapes of Russia in mind. The Ice Cave is also an educational center that showcases the history of Russia’s far north, and the environmental and conservation challenges it faces today. There are also concert halls, amphitheaters, and, most importantly, an expanse of rolling green hills in the heart of the city.
