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Moscow Opens its Biggest Outdoor Ice Rink for Winter amid Pandemic

People skate during the opening of the rink at VDNKh amusement park in Moscow. (AP)
People skate during the opening of the rink at VDNKh amusement park in Moscow. (AP)
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Moscow Opens its Biggest Outdoor Ice Rink for Winter amid Pandemic

People skate during the opening of the rink at VDNKh amusement park in Moscow. (AP)
People skate during the opening of the rink at VDNKh amusement park in Moscow. (AP)

Across town one ice rink has been converted into a COVID-19 hospital, but some Moscow residents took to the ice late on Friday as the city’s biggest outdoor rink opened for winter during the pandemic.

The rink in the Soviet-era VDNKh amusement park in northern Moscow opened its doors despite a surge in coronavirus cases since September with the city of over 12.5 million people regularly reporting the most infections of any Russian region.

On Saturday, officials confirmed 27,100 new cases overnight, including 7,320 in Moscow. They said 510 people had died in the last 24 hours nationwide.

People out skating said they felt it was safe as they had worn masks and gloves in the indoor part of the rink. Their temperatures were measured upon arrival. Most people were not wearing masks on the rink itself.

“We went through all the changing rooms in masks. It’s not scary at all,” said resident Olga Glazunova.

“It’s really good to be skating. You can feel the coming winter and New Year,” said Svetlana Makarova.

Others like Mikhail Merzlyakov said they couldn’t resist taking to the ice. “It’s scary, but we wanted to skate,” he said.

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Vatican Unveils Restored 'Apollo Belvedere', Roman Marble Masterpiece

A view of the 'Apollo Belvedere' statue after it was unveiled after restoration at the Vatican Museums at the Vatican, October 15, 2024. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
A view of the 'Apollo Belvedere' statue after it was unveiled after restoration at the Vatican Museums at the Vatican, October 15, 2024. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
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Vatican Unveils Restored 'Apollo Belvedere', Roman Marble Masterpiece

A view of the 'Apollo Belvedere' statue after it was unveiled after restoration at the Vatican Museums at the Vatican, October 15, 2024. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
A view of the 'Apollo Belvedere' statue after it was unveiled after restoration at the Vatican Museums at the Vatican, October 15, 2024. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

The Vatican Museums unveiled on Tuesday a restoration of one of the crown jewels of their collection, a 2nd century marble sculpture of the Greek god Apollo that has inspired generations of artists and poets.

Restoration experts spent years working on the "Apollo Belvedere", repairing fractures in its knees and legs, cleaning the entire cream-colored statue with lasers, and installing a carbon fibre pole anchored to its base to increase stability.

"This type of restoration... is the expression of what we want the Vatican Museums to be," said Barbara Jatta, the Museums' director. "A balance of tradition, linguistics and study, with a gaze that looks to the future."

The Vatican Museums, which house some of the world's greatest Renaissance masterpieces as well as ancient Roman and Egyptian artefacts, are the Holy See's most reliable source of income. They receive some seven million visitors a year, generating income of around $100 million, according to Reuters.

The "Apollo Belvedere" was one of the first works featured in the Museums. It shows the god having just shot an arrow and is famed for its delicate musculature and lightly curled hair.

The sculpture is believed to be a Roman copy of an original Greek bronze statue. It was brought to the Vatican by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century.

The statue was removed from public exhibition in 2019, when museum staff noticed small fissures in its legs.

The structure was in an "incredibly dramatic" condition, said Guy Devreux, a curator in the Museums' stone and marble restoration workshop.

The restoration project was paused for about two years during the pandemic, when the Museums underwent several long closures due to Italy's lockdowns.