On a work trip to Moscow I was booked into a hotel overlooking the a couple of the 1980 Olympic venues. Combined with some early-morning running, and a trip a 22nd floor restaurant with views over the city, I managed a few photos. Starting with the classic Russian 1980s atmospheric shot.
First of all, I should tell you that the venue known as the 'Olympic Stadium' isn't the main Olympic Stadium as you or I would think of it (ie. the one where the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, also the Athletics, takes place).Along the same lines, the 'Moscow Olympic Pool' is not the main indoor pool where the swimming and diving took place in 1980, rather a secondary open-air venue for the Water Polo. Confused? Me too!
Taking a wider view of the Swimming Pool, I think you can see the inspiration for the saddle-span roof of the London 2012 Aquatic Centre?
A few internal shots of the Swimming Pool are on this site(as an added bonus, if you use Google Translate, it translates the Russian for 'diving' into 'hopping'. Which would be interesting, if not a little dangerous, on a slippery surface next to open water).
Later in the day I was lucky enough to go to the amazing Sky Lounge restaurant at the top of the 22-floor Academy of Science on the edge of Gorky Park.
From there I had a great view of the Luzhniki Sports Complex (formerly known as the Central Lenin Stadium Area) including, amongst other things, the main actual real Olympic Stadium with a running track and sky and everything! Also the Luzhniki Palace of Sports and the understatedly-named Minor Arena.
The below sunset show shows Gorky Park (front left), Moscow University (top left) and the Luzhniki Stadium. In the foreground, on the riverbank, is the Druzhba Multipurpose Arena, which hosted the Volleyball in 1980.
The Luzhniki Stadium is now home of Spartak and Torpedo Moscow (I think it was a Torpedo match night, which is why the lights are on).
One last comment for today, utterly unrelated to this blog but very close to me... RIP Nan XX
First of all, I should tell you that the venue known as the 'Olympic Stadium' isn't the main Olympic Stadium as you or I would think of it (ie. the one where the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, also the Athletics, takes place).Along the same lines, the 'Moscow Olympic Pool' is not the main indoor pool where the swimming and diving took place in 1980, rather a secondary open-air venue for the Water Polo. Confused? Me too!
So the Olympiyskiy Sports Complex, located about 3km north of the Kremlin, is home to the 'Olympic Stadium' and the Aquatic Centre, shown on this map.
The 'Olympic Stadium' is also known as the Olympic Indoor Arena, and was home to the Basketball and Boxing in 1980. These days it's the venue for the occasional sporting event, many gigs (sadly I just missed Muse, though Sting and German soft-rock seem more common), and also the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.
The Swimming Pool at the Olympiyskiy Sports Complex was actually the main Aquatics Centre, ie. where the swimming and diving took place in 1980.
The 'Olympic Stadium' is also known as the Olympic Indoor Arena, and was home to the Basketball and Boxing in 1980. These days it's the venue for the occasional sporting event, many gigs (sadly I just missed Muse, though Sting and German soft-rock seem more common), and also the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.
The Swimming Pool at the Olympiyskiy Sports Complex was actually the main Aquatics Centre, ie. where the swimming and diving took place in 1980.
Taking a wider view of the Swimming Pool, I think you can see the inspiration for the saddle-span roof of the London 2012 Aquatic Centre?
A few internal shots of the Swimming Pool are on this site(as an added bonus, if you use Google Translate, it translates the Russian for 'diving' into 'hopping'. Which would be interesting, if not a little dangerous, on a slippery surface next to open water).
Later in the day I was lucky enough to go to the amazing Sky Lounge restaurant at the top of the 22-floor Academy of Science on the edge of Gorky Park.
From there I had a great view of the Luzhniki Sports Complex (formerly known as the Central Lenin Stadium Area) including, amongst other things, the main actual real Olympic Stadium with a running track and sky and everything! Also the Luzhniki Palace of Sports and the understatedly-named Minor Arena.
The below sunset show shows Gorky Park (front left), Moscow University (top left) and the Luzhniki Stadium. In the foreground, on the riverbank, is the Druzhba Multipurpose Arena, which hosted the Volleyball in 1980.
The Luzhniki Stadium is now home of Spartak and Torpedo Moscow (I think it was a Torpedo match night, which is why the lights are on).
One last comment for today, utterly unrelated to this blog but very close to me... RIP Nan XX
No comments:
Post a Comment