Singing Fountains, Sochi (must see)

The Singing Fountains are set in a large open space inside the Olympic Park, surrounded by major sports arenas built for the Winter Games. They were planned as a central feature of the area and stand in a wide open square. The design is based on the Firebird from Russian folklore, with a small central basin holding the Olympic flame and a much larger circular fountain area around it.

The fountain uses more than 250 water jets, often described as over 260 nozzles. Several of these are powerful jets that can send water up to about 70 meters high at key moments.This allows the fountain to switch between low water movements and tall vertical streams. The large size mainly describes the overall fountain area, not just the small central bowl with the flame.

The fountains usually work only in the evening and at night, when the lighting effects are clearly visible. Shows follow a fixed seasonal schedule and, in summer, often run from around 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM. During shows, the water moves to music as colored lights change across the fountain. The program mixes classical and popular music and follows a fixed order.

The open layout allows many people to watch at once. Visitors stand around the fountain or along nearby paths, and stepping farther back helps to see the full movement of the water. There are no fences or tickets. When no show is scheduled, the fountain is usually turned off, but the surrounding area remains open for evening walks.