The Olympic Park in Sochi has become one of the most important facilities built for the Winter Games. More recently, in the middle of the Imereti Lowland, fields spread, and the valley itself was included in the list of places where it was supposed to create an ornithological reserve.
Olympic Park
After the fateful decision of the IOC for Russians (since 2007), everything changed dramatically. Imereti Valley has become the main construction site of the upcoming Games. And here the so-called “coastal cluster” began to be built - the Olympic Park in Adler, a photo of which was taken away by all the tourists and participants of the Games.
His brother, located in Krasnaya Polyana, hosted mountain competitions. And the Olympic Park in Adler became the place where the competition took place "under the roof."
But the most important thing is that it was here, on the Black Sea coast, that the main ceremonies were held: opening and closing.
Infrastructure
The Olympic Park has become a whole complex of facilities. It includes in its infrastructure not only sports palaces and stadiums, but also those facilities in which athletes, IOC members and spectators lived. It also includes an ultra-modern train station.
The most magnificent sports facility located in the Olympic Park is the Fisht Stadium, which seats forty-seven thousand spectators. It was he who was seen by viewers during the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2014 Games.
The second largest sports facility is the Big Ice Palace, designed for twelve thousand spectators. Hockey teams competed here. Outwardly, the ice palace is very similar to a huge frozen drop, so the people called it that.
The Olympic Park in Sochi includes the Adler Arena indoor skating center for eight thousand visitors, the Iceberg ice stadium, the Shaiba small arena for seven thousand spectators, as well as the Ice Cube for curling and numerous training sites for figure skating and hockey.
In the “coastal cluster” are also located the main
Olympic village, a media center and a hotel where IOC members lived. Around the park laid a track for Formula 1.
Adler Olympic Park is not only about sports facilities. Near a dense circle of stadiums stands the temple complex. The Shelter of St. John the Baptist also has a museum and a cultural center. Now Orthodox can pray in the Cathedral of the Miraculous Image of Christ the Savior.
Olympic Park during the winter games in Sochi
The organizers did everything to ensure that at this time the main complex was filled with a festive atmosphere: music shows combined with the most beautiful award ceremonies, gala concerts in which world famous stars participated and a daily rich program with animation and entertainment.
About three hundred street performers worked daily in the open air venues that the Olympic Park is so rich in. Especially for the Sochi Games, they prepared unique programs featuring theaters of clownery and pantomime, acrobats and circus performers, as well as the best break dance groups and capoeira dancers.
Spectators could join the artists, for example, dance with flashmobers or interactive music groups.
Costumed boardwalks were held daily in the park. Performances by musical groups from all over the country were intended to represent the national flavor and demonstrate the cultural diversity of vast Russia.
Fans were offered face painting with state flags of all participating countries. The most successful places that were great for photographing in the park were marked with a special icon with the SOCHI 2014 hashtag.
After the end of the winter games
With the beginning of spring 2014, all the facilities of the “seaside cluster” began to work in the usual rhythm for the townspeople and holidaymakers. Available to anyone and the Olympic Park itself. In Sochi, in the summer its alleys are used with pleasure for cycling.
A rather wide ring road is laid around it. Electric cars and bicycles are available for rent here. The scooter rental point also works.
Imeretinskaya embankment, which is six kilometers long, adjoins the park border. It stretches from the port on the Mzymte River to the very border with Abkhazia, passing along the Psou River.
Opening hours
The Olympic Park, a photo of which all participants of the Olympics took with them, is open from ten in the morning until eleven in the evening. You can walk along the promenade around the clock. The city administration for tourists organizes excursions in the park. They are held under the auspices of the Olympic Heritage. There are regular tours, and evening, when the amazing lighting is on. On Mondays, this huge complex is closed to visitors.
How to get to the Olympic Park?
Those who are comfortable getting to the park from the Sochi railway station should use a modern electric train with the romantic name “Swallow”. She departs regularly from the Khosta, Matsesta, and Adler stations.
Station "Olympic Park" has become the main transport gate of the coastal cluster. Her project was developed by St. Petersburg architects. You can walk to any coastal park facility in just five minutes.
Those who wish can come by bus from Sochi and Hosta, Matsesta and Kudepsta, as well as Adler, Esto-Sadok or Krasnaya Polyana. You can also get to the park from the station or airport by minibus.
Russian Disneyland
Another attraction that attracts tourists and citizens here was the thematic Sochi Park. Unfortunately, by the beginning of the Olympic Games the most extreme attractions were not put into operation, nevertheless, it was very popular and became a favorite place even for competitors.
A full-fledged opening of the park in the park took place on the first of July, after full testing of all the attractions of this Russian Disneyland.
New life of the park
Immediately after the end of the Olympics and Paralympics, the park was closed for walking. This was explained by the fact that the transfer of sports facilities to the balance of the city administration began. On April 8, 2014, the complex was opened. Entrance to it is free.
However, anyone who wants to visit the Olympic Park should clearly realize that today this place is somewhat different from the busy spot that the whole world watched during the Games and about which the sportsmen and spectators spoke with great enthusiasm.
The completely unchanged appearance of all sports facilities, especially the Olympic flame bowl, which is still solemnly raised to the sky, gives today's visitors the opportunity to present the atmosphere that was inherent in the main complex of the Games called the Olympic Park. His website tells in detail both about today's innovations, and about the holiday that reigned here in the winter, when the most famous athletes and celebrities strolled around its territory.