Sparrow Hills has been an inspiration for many Russian poets and writers. In old times travelers used to climb on top of the hill to enjoy the view and to see the final point of their destination: Moscow. The name ‘Sparrow’ – in Russian ‘Vorobyovy’ – was originally the name of the village that was located nearby.
Standing on the observation platform you can see almost all of central Moscow: the Luzhniki Stadium (where the 1980 Olympic Games took place); the domes of Novodevichy convent; the Kremlin churches; Christ the Savior Cathedral; and the Seven Sisters, Stalin's high-rise buildings.
Sparrow Hills attracted not only visitors to Moscow but also Russian architects. The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was originally planned to be built here. While that didn’t happen, later in the 20th century another temple was put up on Sparrow Hills. It was a temple of knowledge: the famous Moscow State University. It looks spectacular at the top of the hill and thanks to its location the University can be seen from afar.
