The Stone Flower Fountain Moscow is a 1954 fountain at VDNKh shaped like a flower in bloom among gemstones, based on a tale by Pavel Bazhov. Its basin, bronze still-lifes and decoration of colored glass and gold leaf make it one of the most ornate fountains in the park.
It stands near the larger Friendship of Nations Fountain, with its golden statues, and visitors often confuse the two. The Stone Flower is the one with the flower in the middle. It is free to see and runs in the warm season. This guide explains what to look for and how it fits into a walk along the VDNKh avenue.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Фонтан «Каменный цветок» |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1954 |
| Architect(s) | Konstantin Topuridze (architect) and Prokopy Dobrynin (sculptor) |
| Address | VDNKh, Prospekt Mira 119, Moscow, Russia OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Ostankinsky |
| Metro | VDNKh (Line 6 (Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya, orange), about 10–15 min walk along the main avenue of VDNKh) |
| Opening hours | The fountain stands in the open grounds of VDNKh and can be seen whenever the grounds are open, free of charge.
The water and lights run only in the warm season, and the basin is dry in colder months. Show times vary (as of October 2026 – check the official VDNKh site, vdnh.ru). |
| Admission | Free. The fountain stands in the open grounds of VDNKh, which can be entered without a ticket. |
| Best time to visit | Late spring to early autumn is the best time, when the water runs and the garden is in bloom. Dusk gives the best light, with the evening lights switched on.
Outside the season the water is off, and the dry basin is quiet. Weekday mornings are calm. |
| Recommended duration | 20–30 minutes |
| Website | vdnh.ru/en |
| Last updated | October 6, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Stone Flower Fountain Moscow?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fountain, garden and square | Included in the standard ticket | Free to see and walk around while VDNKh is open. |
| Water and light show | Included in the standard ticket | Free to watch, but only in the warm season. |
| Friendship of Nations Fountain Moscow | Outside / not part of it | The larger fountain with sixteen golden statues, a separate sight nearby. |
| Golden Wheat Ear Fountain | Outside / not part of it | A third historical fountain at VDNKh, also free to see in season. |
| VDNKh Moscow | Outside / not part of it | The exhibition park around the fountain is free to enter; see its article. |
| Moscow Sun Ferris Wheel | Outside / not part of it | A separate ride at the southern end of VDNKh with its own ticket. |
Why Visit Stone Flower Fountain Moscow?
The fountain turns a fairy tale into a piece of architecture. At its center is a bowl shaped like a flower in bloom among gemstones, based on the stone flower in Pavel Bazhov’s tale from The Malachite Box.
Its details reward a close look: sixteen bronze still-lifes of fruit, grain, birds and fish stand on granite plinths with cast-iron volutes, and each of the six petals was covered with more than 15,000 pieces of smalt in its restoration.
It is free, it is lit in the evening in season and it stands close to the Friendship of Nations Fountain, so the two make a natural pair on a walk through VDNKh.
How Stone Flower Fountain Moscow Is Laid Out
The fountain stands on the Industrial Square at VDNKh, a short walk from the Friendship of Nations Fountain along the main avenue.
A stepped granite base holds the central bowl, shaped like a flower in bloom, and around it granite plinths with cast-iron volutes carry sixteen bronze still-lifes. A restored flower garden surrounds the fountain.
The Friendship of Nations Fountain and the Golden Wheat Ear Fountain are the other two large historical fountains in the same part of VDNKh. The Moscow Sun Ferris Wheel and the Moskvarium lie at the southern end.
A sensible route is to walk from the main gate along the avenue, stop at the Friendship of Nations Fountain, continue to the Stone Flower, then follow the avenue toward the Ferris wheel.
Highlights of Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
The stone flower
At the center, a bowl shaped like a flower in bloom among gemstones recalls the stone flower in Pavel Bazhov's tale of the same name. The fountain was built in 1954 to a design by the architect Konstantin Topuridze and the sculptor Prokopy Dobrynin.
It is described as the first light-and-music fountain in the USSR.
Tip: Look at the flower from several sides, since the six petals each have a different pattern.
Smalt and gold leaf
The flower is decorated with smalt, a kind of colored opaque glass, and gold leaf in different shades. In the restoration, each of the six petals was covered with more than 15,000 pieces of smalt, and parts that had been lost on the crystals were recreated.
The surface changes color with the light.
Tip: Look at the petals from close range in daylight to see the individual pieces of smalt.
The bronze still-lifes
Sixteen bronze compositions stand on granite plinths decorated with cast-iron volutes, showing gifts from the Soviet republics, including fruit, ears of grain, birds and fish.
They echo the sixteen figures of the Friendship of Nations Fountain nearby.
Tip: Walk around the base to find the fish and birds, which are easy to miss.
The tale behind it
Pavel Bazhov's tale The Stone Flower, published in 1938 and collected in The Malachite Box in 1939, tells of a stone-carver who searches for a legendary flower in the domain of the Mistress of the Copper Mountain.
The tales were very popular in the 1930s and 1950s, and a film of the story appeared in 1946.
Tip: Read a short summary of the tale before you visit; it makes the fountain's design clearer.
Evening lights
In the warm season, the fountain is lit in the evening, and the flower seems to glow among the water jets. The city's website says that in the backlight the magic flower from the tale seems to come to life.
It is a good place for evening photographs.
Tip: Come at dusk, when the lights are on and the sky is still blue.
The flower garden
After the restoration, a flower garden was recreated around the fountain, as it was in 1954.
It adds color to the square in summer and softens the stonework of the base.
Tip: Visit in summer, when the garden is in bloom.
Atmosphere
The fountain is colorful and ornate, a bright flower of glass and gold set in a wide square. When the water runs, jets of water rise around the bowl, and the smalt glitters in the light.
People walk slowly around the base, reading the details, and families stop to photograph the flower and the bronze fruit and fish. The sound is water and quiet voices, with the larger Friendship of Nations Fountain nearby drawing the bigger crowds.
In the evening, the lights come on and the flower appears to glow. Outside the season the square is calm, and the dry basin shows the stonework and the decoration in sharp detail.
History of Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
The fountain draws on a literary source. Pavel Bazhov’s tales from the Urals were published in the late 1930s, and The Malachite Box appeared in January 1939. Its story The Stone Flower, published in 1938, is about a gifted stone-carver who seeks a legendary flower in the realm of the Mistress of the Copper Mountain.
The tales were very popular in the 1930s to 1950s. A film of The Stone Flower by Alexander Ptushko was released in 1946, and a ballet on the same tale, with music by Sergey Prokofiev, was premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1954.
The Stone Flower Fountain was built in 1954, in the same year as the other great fountains of VDNKh. It was designed by the architect Konstantin Topuridze and the sculptor Prokopy Dobrynin, with other sculptors adding details such as birds, fruit and ears of grain, and the mosaic work was done in a workshop of the Soviet Academy of Arts.
It is described as the first light-and-music fountain in the USSR, and it stands on what is called the Industrial Square of the exhibition.
Over the following decades, the fountain gradually lost much of its decoration. Some of the smalt on the crystals was lost entirely, and the colors faded.
VDNKh’s revival program began in 2014. As part of it, the fountain was restored from the original sketches, with each of the six petals covered with more than 15,000 pieces of smalt, and the gilding repaired. A flower garden was recreated around it, as it was in 1954.
The Stone Flower and Friendship of Nations fountains were relaunched after their first restoration in 65 years, and today they run in the warm season with lights in the evening.
Tickets and Booking for Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
The fountain needs no ticket, and it can be seen from the open square at any time VDNKh is open. VDNKh is free to enter.
- Attractions: pavilions, museums, the Moskvarium and the Ferris wheel inside VDNKh have their own tickets; see their articles.
- Shows: the water and light shows are free to watch, but times and the season change.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ where tickets apply. The official VDNKh site, vdnh.ru, lists the current schedule and events.
Plan and Book
Suggested itineraries Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
20–30 minutes
Walk from the Friendship of Nations Fountain to the Stone Flower, circle the base to see the bronze still-lifes and the smalt petals.
1–2 hours
See the Friendship of Nations, Stone Flower and Golden Wheat Ear fountains in one walk along the avenue, then stop at a pavilion or a cafe.
Half day
Walk the three fountains, then visit the Cosmos monument and the Worker and Kolkhoz Woman sculpture. Finish with the Ferris wheel or the Moskvarium at the southern end.
How to Get to Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
The fountain is on the Industrial Square of VDNKh, in the north of the city.
- VDNKh (Line 6, Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya, orange): about 10 to 15 minutes on foot. Leave the station, pass through the main gate and follow the avenue past the Friendship of Nations Fountain.
The monorail and tram also serve the area; check current routes and fares. A taxi can drop you at the main entrance on Prospekt Mira.
Accessibility
Accessibility details were not confirmed. The avenue and the square are wide and paved, and the grounds are mostly flat. Check the official VDNKh site or contact the park if you need specific information.
Food Nearby
VDNKh has many cafes, food halls and kiosks along the main avenue and near the fountains, with more near the Moskvarium and the Ferris wheel. Menus, prices and hours change by season, so check opening times before you go.
What to Bring
Bring a camera, comfortable shoes for the walk and a light layer for the evening. In summer, spray from the fountain can be carried by the wind, so keep electronics dry.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
Edge of the basin
The flower bowl with water jets rising around it and the bronze still-lifes in the foreground.
Best time: Late afternoon, when the sun lights the smalt
Close-up of a petal
The colored glass and gold leaf in fine detail, a good subject for macro photographs.
Best time: Overcast light, to reduce glare
Across the square with the garden
The whole fountain framed by flower beds and trees, with the pavilions behind.
Best time: Summer morning
Fountain at dusk
The lit flower glowing among the water jets against a deep blue sky.
Best time: After sunset in the warm season
Photography Rules
Photography is free around the fountain. Tripods and drones may be restricted in VDNKh, and drone rules in Moscow are strict and change, so check before flying one. Follow signs and staff instructions in the grounds.
Family Suitability
The fountain suits families as a short, free stop. Children enjoy the water and the colorful flower, and the garden gives space to walk. Spray can reach people close to the edge in the wind. The square and the avenue are paved and suitable for strollers. Outside the season the basin is dry.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Check whether the fountain is running before you plan a special trip; outside the warm season the basin is dry.
- Do not confuse it with the Friendship of Nations Fountain; the Stone Flower has the gem flower, not the sixteen golden statues.
- Look for the small bronze fish and birds on the base, which most visitors walk past.
- See it at dusk, when the lights come on and the smalt shows its colors.
- Walk the three fountains in one pass along the avenue, since they were all built in the same year.
- Read a short summary of Bazhov's tale first; it explains the flower and the Mistress of the Copper Mountain.
Explore Nearby Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
Sights near Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
Friendship of Nations Fountain Moscowabout 550 m away (~9 min walk) · typical visit: 30–45 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
VDNKh Moscowabout 900 m away (~14 min walk) · typical visit: 3–6 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Worker and Kolkhoz Woman Moscowabout 950 m away (~16 min walk) · typical visit: 30–60 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Monument to the Conquerors of Space Moscowabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Sun Ferris Wheelabout 600 m away (~10 min walk) · typical visit: 1–1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moskvarium Moscowabout 600 m away (~9 min walk) · typical visit: 3–5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
Kroshka Kartoshkaabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
City Hotel Baykalabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Cosmos Hotel Moscowabout 1.6 km away (~27 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
Moscow Book Fairabout 900 m away (~14 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Cosmonautics Day in Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Stone Flower Fountain Moscow
Is the Stone Flower Fountain free?
Yes. It stands in the open grounds of VDNKh, which can be entered without a ticket. See the booking section.
What is the Stone Flower?
A flower from Pavel Bazhov's tale The Stone Flower, in his collection The Malachite Box. The fountain's central bowl is shaped like that flower.
Is it the same as the Friendship of Nations Fountain?
No. The Friendship of Nations Fountain has sixteen golden statues of women, while the Stone Flower has a gem flower and bronze still-lifes. They stand near each other.
When does it run?
In the warm season, and it is switched off in colder months. Check the official VDNKh site for the current season.
Who designed it?
The architect Konstantin Topuridze and the sculptor Prokopy Dobrynin, in 1954.
What is it decorated with?
Smalt, a colored opaque glass, and gold leaf. In the restoration, each of the six petals was covered with more than 15,000 pieces of smalt.
Was it restored?
Yes. It relaunched after its first restoration in 65 years, with a flower garden recreated around it.
How long do I need?
About 20 to 30 minutes, longer if you walk the other fountains along the avenue.
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Last updated: October 6, 2026.
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