Patriarch Ponds, Reservoir in Presnensky District, Moscow, Russia
Patriarch Ponds is a single pond covering 9,900 square meters and reaching two meters deep in the Presnensky District of Moscow. A walking path circles the entire water body, lined with trees and benches in a residential neighborhood of multistory buildings from different eras.
The area was originally called Patriarch's Goat Sloboda and included marshland during the 17th century. Patriarch Joachim ordered three fish ponds dug in 1683, though only one remained over time.
The name recalls Patriarch Joachim, who ordered fish ponds dug here during the 17th century. Locals now walk the perimeter path while readers sit on benches around the water, and families gather near the shoreline to watch ducks or simply rest between errands.
The nearest metro stations are Mayakovskaya and Pushkinskaya, both within a few minutes' walk. The path around the water is flat and suitable for strollers or wheelchairs, though some sections can become slippery during winter.
During winter months the frozen surface becomes a skating rink, a tradition started by the Russian Gymnastic Society. The opening scene of Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita begins here, where two literary men sit by the shore debating religion before the devil appears.
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