Moscow's Fountains Reopen to Mark Summer's Arrival
Though warm summer temperatures are just taking hold of Moscow, the capital's many grandiose fountains have already reclaimed their status as the favorite hangout spots for Muscovites and tourists alike.
More than 600 fountains across Moscow have reopened for the season and will remain in operation until early October.
Take a look at the capital's most picturesque fountains:
More than 600 fountains across Moscow have reopened for the season and will remain in operation until early October.
Take a look at the capital's most picturesque fountains:
Prior to the reopening, all fountains in Moscow have to undergo cleaning and maintenance.
Denis Grishkin / Moskva News Agency
This year, preparations for the "fountain season" lasted for nearly a month.
Denis Grishkin / Moskva News Agency
Constructed in the early 2000s and designed by designed by Belgian sculptor Olivier Strebelle, The Abduction of Europe near Kievsky railway station is one of the most famous fountains in the capital.
Moskva News Agency
The Petrovskiy Fountain in front of the Bolshoi Theater is the only fountain in Moscow to be left untouched during the Stalin-era reconstruction.
Denis Grishkin / Moskva News Agency
Used as a source of clean drinking water in the early 19th century, fountains became an essential part of Moscow's architectural landscape in Soviet times.
Denis Grishkin / Moskva News Agency
However, many more new fountains have been built across the capital since the Soviet collapse.
Denis Grishkin / Moskva News Agency
The Dome fountains on Manezhnaya Square appeared in the late 1990s.
Denis Grishkin / Moskva News Agency
The famous fountains of the VDNKh exhibition center were built in the 1950s and have continued to be some of the most-photographed sights in the capital since.
Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency
The centrally located People's Friendship fountain at VDNKh is decorated with 16 bronze and gold-plated statues representing the nations of the U.S.S.R.
Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency
The massive fountain is powered by eight pumps that process thousands of liters of water every minute.
Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency
