Sparrow Hills

Sparrow Hills (Vorobyovy Gory) are the high right bank of the Moskva River at its bend, in southwestern Moscow, facing the Luzhniki Stadium. The slope rises up to 80 meters above the river and stretches for about 4 km, from the mouth of the Setun River to the Andreevsky Bridge. It is one of the most prominent natural hills within the city, known for its viewpoint overlooking Luzhniki, the Moscow State University building and the skyscrapers of the Moscow City business district.

History

The name comes from the village of Vorobyovo, which from the early 14th century belonged to the boyar family of the Vorobyovs. In 1453 Princess Sofia Vitovtovna gave the village to her grandson Yuri Vasilyevich. In the 17th century glass and mirror works operated here, and from 1648 until the 18th century the Andreevsky Monastery stood at the foot of the hills. In 1812 Napoleon looked down from these heights at Moscow, then occupied by the French army.

From 1935 to 1999 the area was called the Lenin Hills. In 1953 the main building of Moscow State University opened at the top, and in 1958 the Luzhniki Metro Bridge was built across the slope with the "Vorobyovy Gory" station — the world's first metro station located directly on a bridge over a river. At the foot of the hills, at the Luzhniki Stadium, the opening ceremony of the 1980 Moscow Olympics was held.

According to legend, a monastery for monks existed on the Sparrow Hills' cliffs back in the 13th century, which is how local tradition links the place to an old monastic past. There is also a custom, by local accounts, of making a wish at the viewpoint while looking at the city panorama. These are legends, not facts confirmed by sources.

Nature

Since July 21, 1998, a state nature reserve covering 1.375 km² has operated on the Sparrow Hills, stretching about 4 km along the riverbank. A broad-leaved forest survives here — the closest patch of naturally grown forest to central Moscow — with three nature trails, two Andreevsky ponds (small and large) and the Lesnoy pond. The reserve has recorded more than 400 plant species, including Solomon's seal, ostrich fern and Fischer's pink, along with animals such as the European mole, squirrels, several bat species and around 100 bird species.

What to see

The main viewpoint near the Moscow State University building offers a view of the Luzhniki Stadium, the bend of the Moskva River and the Moscow City skyscrapers. Since November 26, 2018, a 720-meter cable car has connected Luzhniki with the viewpoint. Nearby is a sports complex with ski jumps — a new large ski jump opened at the end of 2025 — as well as the Skypark amusement park with attractions set high above ground.

Getting there

The closest point is the "Vorobyovy Gory" metro station, located directly on the bridge over the Moskva River. From there one can reach the viewpoint on foot, climbing stairs and paths through the reserve, or take the cable car from the Luzhniki side.