Bitsa Park, Moscow



Bitsevski Park (Битцевский парк), or Bitsa Park, is one of the largest natural parks (forests) in Moscow, Russia. The park, traversed by the Chertanovka River and the Bitsa River, sprawls for some 10 km from north to south and covers the area of 18 km2. The park is elongated from north to south and is bounded by Balaklavsky Avenue from the north.

The park is home to more than 500 species of plants, including lindens, oaks, and fine firs, planted by Mikhail Katkov's son at his family manor in the 19th century. 33 species of mammals and 78 species of birds have been registered in the park.

The grounds of the park contain the Moscow Paleontological Museum, as well as the 18th-century country estates of Uzkoye and Znamenskoye-Sadki and the reconstructed estate of Yasenevo. In 1974 the park was the location of the Bulldozer Exhibition. They skirt the Bitsa horse-riding complex which was built for the 1980 Olympic Games. The forest was the site where serial killer Alexander Pichushkin committed the vast majority of his 61 murders.