Park «Krylya Sovetov» is the oasis of «dream city»

The KZN.RU portal knew some interesting and unknown facts about the Sotsgorod micro-district life and the park «Krylya Sovetov» which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year.

(KZN.RU, July 23, Alena Miroshnichenko). 80 years ago, in 1939, the Kazan park «Krylya Sovetov», one of oldest ones in the city, was laid. That event was connected closely with the aircraft industry development in Kazan. In the park «Krylya Sovetov» all things remind about it – from trees and fountains to the park geometry itself. The correspondent of the KZN.RU portal with the Kazan regional specialist Natalia Ureiskaya walked through the park valleys and got back to the history of this place.

1932. In the Soviet Union the massive industrialization continued with progress. The Aircraft Plant was planned to be constructed in Kazan, and Sergo Ordzhonikidze, the member of MCP Central Committee Political bureau, arrived here to evaluate the city potential. For that moment the population of the TASSR capital city was 200 thousand people who lived mainly in the city centre. The construction decision of the closed-cycle high-technology Aircraft Plant attracted 100 thousand people. «That had led to changes in the social, cultural, economical life, and status of the city», - the guide told.

The title of her author's program – «Myths and dream city reality» – is not random. The Sotsgorod micro-district was really formed as a «dream city»: the hospital, kindergartens, schools, one of the biggest Kazan parks, two community centers, gardening association were within walking distance. «The Sotsgorod founders understood that a person was a valuable unit which needed to study, have a good time, interact with like-minded people», – Natalia Ureiskaya noted.

At the same time almost all the «dream city» had a sense of aviation. For example, just a few people know that the park in the Sotsgorod micro-district was designed like the plane wing form which was outlined by the streets of Dementev, Kopylov, and Koshevoy. Now the park boundaries have changed - a part of the original territory is taken by the stadiums of the «Rubin» football club.

To the word, as Natalia Ureiskaya told, the Kazan team is connected as well with the aircraft industry. Originally, the club belonged to the factory and was called «№747 letter box». Then it was renamed to «Krylya Sovetov», and later time – to «Iskra». «In 1964, Nikolay Maksimov, the director of the Kazan Aircraft Plant, noticed that the team wasn’t playing very good, and he decided to rename it, – Natalia Ureiskaya told. – Then it was called «Rubin». But not in honour of the jewel, but the title of the radar station.

The Great Domestic war became the true test for everyone, and the citizens of «dream city» were not exception. In 1942, 10 planes were daily built in the Kazan Aircraft Plant. As the posterity of the workers told the regional specialist, sometimes people died at machine tools.

The factory manager Vassily Okulov then offered to send the workers with poor health to plant trees in the park. «He believed that it would make them live, moreover the recovery could be promoted by fresh air, - the regional specialist says. - Of course, as well those were found who did not agree with that decision. But then Vassily Andreevich (Okulov) answered them that the green park with trees would be inherited to the next generation». There is no any monument or memorial in the park «Krylya Sovetov» that can remind people what happened during the war. However, the «Krylya Sovetov» park takes the second place for the number of trees and bushes after Gorky Park.

The CLC Lenin is located on the territory of the park «Krylya Sovetov». The palace of culture was built in 1960 for the 40-anniversary of the TASSR. However, there were some difficulties of building construction, as the chief architect-designer told the regional specialist about it. «During Khrushchev's leadership the struggle with surplus started then, but the palace of culture project included white and red marble, oak parquet, crystal lusters», - Natalia Ureiskaya explained. However, the architects were able to built the palace of culture as it was designed - the building was very beautiful and cosy.

The workers met at the solemn events and holidays in the CLC Lenin. For example, in the palace of culture the tables were served for 400 persons for the New Year's Eve celebration. Here, the plant workers gathered to go through the sad events: they bid farewell to the crews.

Nowadays, the CLC Lenin is an attraction point for the inhabitants not only of the Sotsgorod micro-district and Aviastroitelny district, but also the entire city. In 2017, the building was renovated. 9 thousand sq. metres were repaired inside and outside. The specialists were able to preserve the elements of the Soviet neoclassicism and the Stalin empire style.

As well the park «Krylya Sovetov» has been earlier reconstracted. Its reconstruction was led during two years within the republic program «Parks and squares». The children's playground with the aircraft elements was installed in the park, the modern multi-sports court used for a variety of sporting activities was equipped with the work-out training simulators, also there are the rest and quiet zone, the sports walkway enabling to engage in a bicycle sports and roller-skating in the summer, and skiing in the winter.

Besides, the entrances, the arched passageway, the entrance on the north side of the CLC Lenin, the eastern entrance on the crossing of Oleg Koshevoy and Dementev streets were renovated, also the new entrance group on Dementev street was built here. The road of the main park alley was made of the hexagonal paving stones which was common to the parks of the Soviet period. The square in front of the palace of culture was covered with durable concrete slabs of the historical form, the busts of Michail Lomonosov, the pilots Peter Nesterov and Valery Chkalov were restored.

During the park improvement, the summer scene was recreated in the Soviet period style, and the new lightmusical fountain was equipped in the central park valley. Natalia Ureiskaya told that the «Lyrical anthem of the Sotsgorod micro-district» is included with the world hits in the sound track program which was written by the participants of the «Sotsgorod micro-district. Kazan» group on Facebook.

In December of 2016, Natalia Ureiskaya decided to start the «Sotsgorod micro-district. Kazan» group on Facebook. She tells that she was induced to it by one purpose - to break down the myth of depressive and criminal district. In short terms plenty of not indifferent people joined the group, among which are the posterity of those who built the «Krylya Sovetov» park and the Sotsgorod micro-district, developed the aircraft industry in Kazan. Then, Natalia Ureiskaya started actively to collect the facts and stories about the Sotsgorod micro-district and tell the citizens and guests of the Tatarstan capital city about it during her author's excursion «Myths and dream city reality».

Natalia Ureiskaya shared that her purpose is to make the Sotsgorod micro-district, and in particular the park «Krylya Sovetov», the centre of excursion attraction. She is sure that it will be interesting both for the Kazan citizens, and for the tourists.

Read also

30.04.2025, 09:29

Ilsur Metshin: “We have very few buses that are over 10 years”
29.04.2025, 12:29

I. Metshin: “We have already shipped the 70th shipment. All our fighters need”
28.04.2025, 12:30

I. Metshin: “I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone who participated in the city cleanup, this is a valuable contribution from the citizens”
25.04.2025, 11:57

The second life of tires: the Kremlin Embankment will be equipped with an eco-friendly running track

All news

(KZN.RU, July 23, Alena Miroshnichenko). 80 years ago, in 1939, the Kazan park «Krylya Sovetov», one of oldest ones in the city, was laid. That event was connected closely with the aircraft industry development in Kazan. In the park «Krylya Sovetov» all things remind about it – from trees and fountains to the park geometry itself. The correspondent of the KZN.RU portal with the Kazan regional specialist Natalia Ureiskaya walked through the park valleys and got back to the history of this place. 1932. In the Soviet Union the massive industrialization continued with progress. The Aircraft Plant was planned to be constructed in Kazan, and Sergo Ordzhonikidze, the member of MCP Central Committee Political bureau, arrived here to evaluate the city potential. For that moment the population of the TASSR capital city was 200 thousand people who lived mainly in the city centre. The construction decision of the closed-cycle high-technology Aircraft Plant attracted 100 thousand people. «That had led to changes in the social, cultural, economical life, and status of the city», - the guide told. The title of her author's program – «Myths and dream city reality» – is not random. The Sotsgorod micro-district was really formed as a «dream city»: the hospital, kindergartens, schools, one of the biggest Kazan parks, two community centers, gardening association were within walking distance. «The Sotsgorod founders understood that a person was a valuable unit which needed to study, have a good time, interact with like-minded people», – Natalia Ureiskaya noted. At the same time almost all the «dream city» had a sense of aviation. For example, just a few people know that the park in the Sotsgorod micro-district was designed like the plane wing form which was outlined by the streets of Dementev, Kopylov, and Koshevoy. Now the park boundaries have changed - a part of the original territory is taken by the stadiums of the «Rubin» football club. To the word, as Natalia Ureiskaya told, the Kazan team is connected as well with the aircraft industry. Originally, the club belonged to the factory and was called «№747 letter box». Then it was renamed to «Krylya Sovetov», and later time – to «Iskra». «In 1964, Nikolay Maksimov, the director of the Kazan Aircraft Plant, noticed that the team wasn’t playing very good, and he decided to rename it, – Natalia Ureiskaya told. – Then it was called «Rubin». But not in honour of the jewel, but the title of the radar station. The Great Domestic war became the true test for everyone, and the citizens of «dream city» were not exception. In 1942, 10 planes were daily built in the Kazan Aircraft Plant. As the posterity of the workers told the regional specialist, sometimes people died at machine tools. The factory manager Vassily Okulov then offered to send the workers with poor health to plant trees in the park. «He believed that it would make them live, moreover the recovery could be promoted by fresh air, - the regional specialist says. - Of course, as well those were found who did not agree with that decision. But then Vassily Andreevich (Okulov) answered them that the green park with trees would be inherited to the next generation». There is no any monument or memorial in the park «Krylya Sovetov» that can remind people what happened during the war. However, the «Krylya Sovetov» park takes the second place for the number of trees and bushes after Gorky Park. The CLC Lenin is located on the territory of the park «Krylya Sovetov». The palace of culture was built in 1960 for the 40-anniversary of the TASSR. However, there were some difficulties of building construction, as the chief architect-designer told the regional specialist about it. «During Khrushchev's leadership the struggle with surplus started then, but the palace of culture project included white and red marble, oak parquet, crystal lusters», - Natalia Ureiskaya explained. However, the architects were able to built the palace of culture as it was designed - the building was very beautiful and cosy. The workers met at the solemn events and holidays in the CLC Lenin. For example, in the palace of culture the tables were served for 400 persons for the New Year's Eve celebration. Here, the plant workers gathered to go through the sad events: they bid farewell to the crews. Nowadays, the CLC Lenin is an attraction point for the inhabitants not only of the Sotsgorod micro-district and Aviastroitelny district, but also the entire city. In 2017, the building was renovated. 9 thousand sq. metres were repaired inside and outside. The specialists were able to preserve the elements of the Soviet neoclassicism and the Stalin empire style. As well the park «Krylya Sovetov» has been earlier reconstracted. Its reconstruction was led during two years within the republic program «Parks and squares». The children's playground with the aircraft elements was installed in the park, the modern multi-sports court used for a variety of sporting activities was equipped with the work-out training simulators, also there are the rest and quiet zone, the sports walkway enabling to engage in a bicycle sports and roller-skating in the summer, and skiing in the winter. Besides, the entrances, the arched passageway, the entrance on the north side of the CLC Lenin, the eastern entrance on the crossing of Oleg Koshevoy and Dementev streets were renovated, also the new entrance group on Dementev street was built here. The road of the main park alley was made of the hexagonal paving stones which was common to the parks of the Soviet period. The square in front of the palace of culture was covered with durable concrete slabs of the historical form, the busts of Michail Lomonosov, the pilots Peter Nesterov and Valery Chkalov were restored. During the park improvement, the summer scene was recreated in the Soviet period style, and the new lightmusical fountain was equipped in the central park valley. Natalia Ureiskaya told that the «Lyrical anthem of the Sotsgorod micro-district» is included with the world hits in the sound track program which was written by the participants of the «Sotsgorod micro-district. Kazan» group on Facebook. In December of 2016, Natalia Ureiskaya decided to start the «Sotsgorod micro-district. Kazan» group on Facebook. She tells that she was induced to it by one purpose - to break down the myth of depressive and criminal district. In short terms plenty of not indifferent people joined the group, among which are the posterity of those who built the «Krylya Sovetov» park and the Sotsgorod micro-district, developed the aircraft industry in Kazan. Then, Natalia Ureiskaya started actively to collect the facts and stories about the Sotsgorod micro-district and tell the citizens and guests of the Tatarstan capital city about it during her author's excursion «Myths and dream city reality». Natalia Ureiskaya shared that her purpose is to make the Sotsgorod micro-district, and in particular the park «Krylya Sovetov», the centre of excursion attraction. She is sure that it will be interesting both for the Kazan citizens, and for the tourists.