Riviera Park (Sochi)

Riviera Park is one of the oldest resort parks in Russia, located in the Central District of Sochi. Its history began in 1898, when the merchant Vasily Alekseevich Khludov laid out a park on his land, which he had started developing back in 1882. Today the park covers 14.27 hectares and combines a historic green area with a modern entertainment complex — rides, museums and a dolphinarium.

History

• Founding: The park was laid out in 1898 by Vasily Khludov, who had been developing his land in the Sochi District since 1882, engaged in farming and viticulture.
• Expansion: In 1883, Khludov expanded his holdings by buying the Razdolnoye estate; work began on roads and vineyards.
• Design: In 1885, the site was surveyed and the forest cleared for the park. The design was carried out by agronomist Reinhold Garbe with the participation of Gustav Wobst, head gardener of the Moscow Botanical Garden.
• City park: In 1901, Khludov sold the estate to the state, and in 1902 the park gained city status, becoming a popular recreation spot.
• Soviet period: The park suffered during the First World War and the Civil War. In 1920, it was handed to the Sochi Resort Administration and renamed Kurupra Park; in 1937 it received its current name, Riviera.
• Restoration: After the Great Patriotic War, the park was restored and expanded; a large-scale reconstruction starting in 1950 gave it its modern look.

What to see

• Khludov's dacha — built in 1896 in the Art Nouveau style with elements of old Russian tower architecture, restored in 2012 after falling into disrepair.
• Monuments and sculptures — busts of the park's founder and other notable figures, plus various artistic sculptures.
• Writers' Alley — busts of Russian and Soviet literary classics, created in the late 1950s.
• Black Sea pond — built in 1963, decorated with the "Herons" sculpture.
• Green Theatre — an open-air summer concert hall built in 1959.

Entertainment

The park has rides for all ages, including the "Korsar" free-fall tower, the "Galaktika" extreme spinning wheel and a roller coaster. It is also home to the Robot Museum and the Genium Museum, a dolphinarium, a zoo and a penguin house. Concerts, performances, knight tournaments and other events are held on the grounds.

Nature

The park is known for its dendrological collection of more than 240 plant species, 50 of which are especially valuable; most are evergreen, and many bloom in winter. There are rose plantations and rare varieties of sakura.

Getting there

The park is open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm; the oceanarium, dolphinarium and other museums operate from 10:00 am to 7:00–8:00 pm. It can be reached by bus from various parts of Sochi, including Adler and nearby resort villages; there is paid parking near the north entrance.