Donetsk Culture and Leasure Park

The Donetsk Culture and Leasure Park (Парк культури і відпочинку міста Донецька) is a popular recreation area in Donetsk. It was considered back in 1952, when Central Scherbakov Park of Culture and Leisure could no more fully address the city needs because "Shakhtar" stadium was built on its territory. The park was laid out only in 1956 due to numerous modifications of design; the same year the 20th anniversary of Maxim Gorky death was commemorated, so the park was first named after M. Gorky. In 1958 the 40th Anniversary of Leninist Komsomol alley was established, and the park was subsequently renamed to Lenin Komsomol Park (officially renaming in 1972). The park was renamed to its current name on 11 September 2006 during its refurbishment.

Former names

 * Maxim Gorkin Park (1956 — 1972)
 * Leninist Komsomol Park of Culture and Leasure (25 October 1972 — 10 September 2006)

After the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic took control of the city, the Soviet era name is restored, but the Ukrainian authorities do not recognize it.

Places of interest

 * 1972 :сhildren's railway named after V. Priklonsky, ex-head of Donetsk railway
 * 1975: Youth and Sports Palace "Yunost" (Eng. – "Youth"), opened at the entry to the park
 * Monument "To your Liberators, Donbas", open on 8 May 1984, the biggest monument in South-Eastern Ukraine and the city's and region's main war history monument
 * Monument to the Peacekeeping Soldiers (veterans of Soviet–Afghan War). The monument was opened on 7 May 1996
 * Fairy Tale Meadow, an amusement place for children in the forest, where sculptures of fairy-tale characters are built
 * Donbass Arena Stadium