Today this vast territory in the northern part of the capital bears the official name "All-Russian Exhibition Center". But in Soviet history it is better known as VDNH - "All-Union Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy". The exhibition pavilions of VDNKh very clearly reflect the era in which they were erected. It was a showcase for the entire Soviet Union, the image in which the great power wanted to present itself to the whole world. Both external and internal.
VDNH pavilions - heritage of the historical era
Perhaps there is no second such place in the entire vast Moscow where the architectural heritage of the Stalin era would be presented with such completeness, in such concentration and in such diversity. It's just an open-air architectural museum. Anyone who wants to understand the content and feel the flavor of times gone forever should come to VDNKh. The map of the pavilions remained the same, as they were once located by the famous Moscow architect Vyacheslav Konstantinovich Oltarzhevsky, whose projectwas accepted for execution after the competition. He failed to complete what he started. The grandiose construction on 136 hectares could not be completed in time, the architect was repressed and exiled to Vorkuta. The pavilions of VDNKh are located chaotically only at first glance, but their layout is designed in such a way that the thematic content of each object gradually unfolds before the visitor.
The All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was a unique complex of facilities, which had no equal not only in Moscow, but throughout the world, there were not so many. The VDNKh pavilions were supposed to demonstrate content not only according to the industry principle, but also reflect the national flavor of the republics of the Soviet Union, each of which was presented at the exhibition. In total, at the time of opening, there were 250 different thematic structures, as well as alleys, ponds and fountains. The opening of the exhibition took place on August 1, 1939, which was an event of great national importance. Molotov delivered a welcoming speech to the audience. The exhibition was planned as a permanent one, but after the start of the Great Patriotic War it was closed. The VDNKh pavilions again received visitors only seven years later, when everything was restored to its original form. In the post-war period, reconstruction and further development work took place on the territory, new pavilions appeared. They reflected the new times. To this day, one of the most important and most visited is the Cosmos pavilion. In the ninetiesa significant part of the architectural heritage was irretrievably lost.
VDNH pavilions: opening hours
Currently, the All-Russian Exhibition Center is open to receive visitors daily on weekdays from 9 am to 9 pm. Weekends and public holidays until 10pm. Pavilions on its territory open at 10 am and work until 6 pm on weekdays, until 7 pm on weekends and on holidays. In summer, the territory is open until 11 pm, and all pavilions are open for an hour longer.
