Lefortovo District Moscow is a district on the Yauza River in the south-east of the center, named after Franz Lefort, a Swiss favorite of Peter the Great. Its history began in the 17th century as a place where many foreigners in the service of the Russian state settled, and in the 18th century it became a residence of tsars, with several palaces on the river bank.
Today the district is known for Lefortovo Park, the old gardens of the Catherine Palace, for a historic cemetery, for institutions such as the Moscow Power Engineering Institute and a large military hospital, and for the prison and tunnel that carry its name in the news. It is a quiet, green area outside the usual tourist routes, reached from the Lefortovo metro station.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Лефортово |
|---|---|
| Address | Lefortovo District on the Yauza River, between the two sections of the Third Ring Road, south-east Moscow OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Lefortovo |
| Metro | Lefortovo (Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line (Line 11), Named after the district; the exits and the walking time to the park were not verified) Aviamotornaya (Kalininskaya Line (Line 8, yellow) and Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line (Line 11), Listed with Baumanskaya and Elektrozavodskaya as a station around Lefortovo Park; the exits were not verified) Baumanskaya (Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line (Line 3, dark blue), Listed as a station around the park; the exit and the walking time were not verified) |
| Opening hours | The park and the streets are public and can be visited in daytime; the park's gates and hours were not verified. The Catherine Palace and the area closest to it are closed to the public. Cafes, shops and the cemetery keep their own hours.
(as of October 2026 – check the official site) |
| Admission | Entrance to Lefortovo Park is free. The Catherine Palace is not open to visitors. |
| Best time to visit | The park can be visited all year, and it is best on a dry day in spring, summer or autumn, when the ponds and the trees are at their best. Crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Recommended duration | 2 to 3 hours |
| Website | lefortovo.mos.ru |
| Last updated | October 7, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Lefortovo?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lefortovo Park and the Yauza embankment | Included in the standard ticket | Free to enter; opening hours were not verified. |
| Catherine Palace | Not open to visitors | The palace and the area closest to it are closed to the public; it is seen from the park. |
| Lefortovsky Bridge | Included in the standard ticket | A bridge on the Yauza that can be crossed freely. |
| Vvedenskoye Cemetery | Separate ticket or institution | A historic cemetery with its own hours and rules. |
| Lefortovo Prison and the Lefortovo Tunnel | Outside / not part of it | Part of the district's name recognition, but not sights to visit. |
| Burdenko hospital and the Power Engineering Institute | Outside / not part of it | Working institutions, not open as sights. |
| Basmanny and the German Quarter | Outside / not part of it | The neighboring district across the Yauza, with its own guide. |
Why Visit Lefortovo?
Lefortovo is a place to see a different side of Moscow: Lefortovo Park, laid out around the former Golovin palace that Peter the Great bought in 1721 or 1722, with ponds, Dutch-type canals and a river bank, and the Catherine Palace built between 1773 and 1797 for Catherine the Great.
It also has the Vvedenskoye Cemetery, a historic burial ground of the 1770s where the Peter the Great generals Lefort and Patrick Gordon were reburied, and the Lefortovsky Bridge, described as the oldest surviving bridge in Moscow. The park is free to enter, and the district is quiet and green, close to the Aviamotornaya and Baumanskaya stations.
How Lefortovo Is Laid Out
Lefortovo Park lies on the bank of the Yauza River, between two sections of the Third Ring Road, and the metro stations around it are Aviamotornaya, Baumanskaya and Elektrozavodskaya. The Catherine Palace stands in the park, and the palace and the area closest to it are closed to the public. The Lefortovsky Bridge crosses the Yauza nearby.
The Vvedenskoye Cemetery lies a short way north-east of the park, and the Lefortovo metro station on Line 11 is on the south-east side. The Lefortovo Prison and the Lefortovo Tunnel are part of the district but not sights, and the large Burdenko military hospital stands on the district’s grounds.
A sensible walk starts at Aviamotornaya or Baumanskaya, follows the Yauza embankment and the park to the Catherine Palace and the bridge, and ends at the cemetery or the Lefortovo station.
Highlights of Lefortovo
Lefortovo Park
The park began in the early 18th century, when Peter the Great bought the Golovin palace in 1721 or 1722, and the Dutch physician Nicolaas Bidloo expanded its gardens toward the river with ponds, fountains and pavilions, building two dams for the water pressure. It has ponds, streams and Dutch-type canals, and entrance is free. Check the park's hours on site, since they were not verified.
Tip: Walk along the water to see the canals and the old dams.
The Catherine Palace
The neoclassical palace on the Yauza was built between 1773 and 1797 for Empress Catherine the Great, on the site of earlier wooden palaces of the empresses Anna and Elisabeth. It was restored by Osip Bove after the Napoleonic occupation of 1812, and since 1824 it has belonged to military institutions. The palace and the area closest to it are closed to the public, so it is a sight from the park only. It should not be confused with the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo.
Tip: See it from the park path, since the palace itself is closed.
The Lefortovsky Bridge
The bridge over the Yauza was built for Emperor Paul, whose residence stood on the other bank, and is described as the oldest surviving bridge in Moscow. It stands near the palace and the park. It is a short stop on the walk.
Tip: Cross it to see the palace from the river side.
The Vvedenskoye Cemetery
The cemetery was established in the 1770s and is a historic burial ground that was extensively used for military burials, and for foreigners. The generals of Peter the Great, Franz Lefort and Patrick Gordon, who both died in 1699, were exhumed and transferred here. A Lutheran funeral home stands at the west entrance. Check its hours before you go.
Tip: Walk the older paths to see the 19th-century gravestones.
The old foreigners' district
The district began in the 17th century as a place where many foreigners in the Russian service settled, near the German Quarter on the Yauza, and the settlement was named after Franz Lefort, a favorite of Peter the Great. In the 18th century it held the palaces of Annenhof, Lefortovo and Sloboda, which have not survived. The district's old layout is visible in the street plan.
Tip: Read a map of the Yauza bank before you go, since few signs mark the lost palaces.
The Lefortovo metro station
The Lefortovo station is on the Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line and takes the name of the district. The tunneling reached it in August 2017. It is the most direct way to reach the south-east side of the district. Its entrances were not verified for this guide.
Tip: Check the exits on the metro map, since the district is wide.
Atmosphere
Lefortovo is a green, quiet district of ponds, tall trees and old brick and plaster buildings, with the Yauza River running through it. The park has paths along the canals and ponds, and the noise of the Third Ring Road is muted by the trees in places.
By day the district is used by residents, students of the institutes and walkers in the park, and the military institutions give some streets a formal look. In the evening it is calm. The crowd varies by day and season, and no figures were verified.
History of Lefortovo
The history of Lefortovo began in the 17th century, when many foreigners in the service of the Russian state settled on the Yauza River. The settlement came to be called Lefortovo after Franz Lefort (1656–1699), a Swiss favorite of Peter the Great. The Yauza had marked Moscow’s eastern boundary for centuries, and the settlements along it played a significant role in Russian history in the 17th and 18th centuries.
In 1706 and 1707, by order of Peter the Great, a military hospital was built in Lefortovo, where the first surgical school in Russia was opened under the Dutch physician Nicolaas Bidloo. In 1721 or 1722 Peter the Great bought the Golovin palace, and Bidloo expanded the palace garden toward the river, with ponds, fountains and pavilions.
In 1731 Empress Anna had Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli build a wooden summer palace, and in 1741 Empress Elisabeth added a winter palace. In the 18th century the district was home to Annenhof, the Lefortovo Palace, the Sloboda Palace and the Catherine Palace, which was built for Catherine the Great between 1773 and 1797. Catherine’s son Paul built his residence on the other side of the Yauza and had the Lefortovsky Bridge constructed.
The Vvedenskoye Cemetery was established in the 1770s, and Lefort and Patrick Gordon, who both died in 1699, were later transferred there. After the Napoleonic occupation of 1812 the Catherine Palace was restored under the supervision of Osip Bove, and in 1824 it was given to the military, which used it for the Moscow Cadet Corps. In October 1917 the Moscow cadets mounted a fierce resistance against the Bolsheviks in Lefortovo.
In later centuries the district hosted troops and military organizations and became heavily industrialized. What little remained of the Annenhof park was largely destroyed by the tornado of 1904. In 2005 the Lefortovo complex became part of the Moscow State Unified Art, Historical, Architectural and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve, which also includes Izmailovo, Kolomenskoye and Lyublino.
Today the district is known for the Lefortovo Park, the Lefortovo Prison and the Lefortovo Tunnel on the Third Ring Road, and for institutions such as the Moscow Power Engineering Institute and the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital. The palace now houses the Combined Arms Academy and is closed to the public.
Tickets and Booking for Lefortovo
There is no ticket for the park or the streets. The Catherine Palace is closed to the public, the cemetery sets its own rules, and no individual venue was verified for this guide. Check the park’s hours on site and the district’s official website before you plan a visit.
- Neighboring areas: Basmanny, with its own guide, lies across the Yauza.
- Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ at most venues, so check each venue’s own page for all categories; the district’s official site is lefortovo.mos.ru.
Plan and Book
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Suggested itineraries Lefortovo
1 hour
Start at Aviamotornaya or Baumanskaya and enter Lefortovo Park. Walk along the ponds to see the Catherine Palace from the path.
2 hours
Follow the 1-hour route, then cross the Lefortovsky Bridge and walk along the Yauza. End at the Lefortovo station.
3 hours
Add the Vvedenskoye Cemetery, planned with its hours, or the German Quarter in Basmanny across the river. Check venue hours first.
How to Get to Lefortovo
The Lefortovo station on the Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line (Line 11) is named after the district, and the park is surrounded by the Aviamotornaya, Baumanskaya and Elektrozavodskaya stations. The exits and walking times were not verified, so check the route on a map.
- Metro: use Aviamotornaya or Baumanskaya to start at the park; the metro guides on this site explain the lines.
- Taxi: the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options; the Third Ring Road around the park is very busy.
Accessibility
No accessibility information for the park or the cemetery was found. The park paths are level in parts, as far as is known, but the access to the bridge and the cemetery was not verified, so check before you go.
Food Nearby
Cafes are in the park and around the metro stations, with a sports facility that has cafes and ski rentals, according to one source. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours and menus on site.
What to Bring
Comfortable shoes for park paths and layers for the season. Bring rubles in cash for small purchases, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Lefortovo
The park ponds and canals
The still ponds and the Dutch-type canals framed by old trees, with the palace on the bank. The water gives a calm foreground.
Best time: Autumn, when the leaves change.
The Catherine Palace from the park path
The neoclassical facade seen from the path through the park. It is the main architectural frame of the park.
Best time: Morning light.
The Lefortovsky Bridge
The old bridge over the Yauza, with the river and the embankment on either side. It shows the district's older layer.
Best time: Late afternoon light.
Photography Rules
No general photography rules for the park were found. Military institutions, the palace grounds and the prison area may have restrictions, so follow signs and do not photograph near their gates or staff. The cemetery has its own rules.
Family Suitability
The park suits families, with ponds, paths and green space to walk, and it is free to enter. The cemetery and the palace are of interest mostly to older children. Stroller access on the park paths was not verified.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- See the Catherine Palace from the park only, since the palace and the area closest to it are closed.
- Do not confuse it with the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo near St. Petersburg.
- Walk along the water first, then cross the Lefortovsky Bridge for the view back to the palace.
- Use Aviamotornaya or Baumanskaya to start, since the Lefortovo station is on the south-east side.
- Combine the district with the German Quarter in Basmanny across the Yauza.
- Do not treat the prison or the tunnel as sights; the park, the bridge and the cemetery are the visitor sights.
Explore Nearby Lefortovo
Sights near Lefortovo
Museum of the History of Lefortovo Moscowabout 750 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Transport Museumabout 2.4 km away · typical visit: About 2 to 3 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Andrey Rublev Museum Moscowabout 2.6 km away · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Bauman Garden Moscowabout 2.8 km away · typical visit: About 1 to 1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Lefortovo
Aviamotornaya Metro Stationabout 1.7 km away (~28 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Semyonovskaya Metro Stationabout 2.4 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Lefortovo
Imperial Plaza Moscowabout 3.0 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Basmanny: Chistye Prudy, Old Churches and the German QuarterMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ploshchad Ilyicha Metro Station: Deep Hall and Lime Line TransferMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kursky Railway Terminal: Trains to Nizhny Novgorod, Tula and VladimirMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kuskovo: Sheremetev Palace, French Park and Pavilions in East MoscowMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kolomenskoye: UNESCO Ascension Church, Wooden Palace and ParkMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Lefortovo · All Neighborhoods
FAQ: Lefortovo
Who was Lefort?
Franz Lefort, a Swiss-born favorite of Peter the Great, after whom the district is named.
Can I visit the Catherine Palace?
No, the palace and the area closest to it are closed to the public.
Is Lefortovo Park free?
Yes, entrance is free.
Which metro station is the nearest?
Lefortovo (Line 11), with Aviamotornaya and Baumanskaya around the park.
What is the Vvedenskoye Cemetery?
A historic cemetery of the 1770s where Lefort and Gordon were buried.
Is it the same as the German Quarter?
No, the German Quarter is across the Yauza, in Basmanny.
Is there an entrance fee?
No for the park; the palace is closed.
How long does a visit take?
About 2 to 3 hours on foot.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026.
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