Tsaritsino, Protected nature reserve in Brateyevo District, Moscow, Russia

Tsaritsino is a 1,317-hectare protected natural and historical park in Moscow's Southern Administrative District, established in 1993 and expanded in 1998 to include the Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve, the Biryulyovo forest and arboretum, and the Yazvenka and Borisovsky brook valleys. The grounds hold the Tsaritsyno palace and park ensemble with its ponds, the Church of the Trinity (1722, rebuilt 1765, bell tower 1883), and a 2007 fountain on the crescent-shaped island of the Middle Tsaritsyno Pond, reached by two steel bridges.

Catherine the Great acquired the property in 1775 and developed it as an imperial residential area with ornamental and productive gardens. The gardens originally supplied the royal household with fresh fruits and vegetables.

The site reflects imperial garden design from the 18th century, and visitors can still see how the landscaping shaped the space for leisure and cultivation. The old pathways and planted areas show how this land was organized for both beauty and practical use.

The main access points are near Tsaritsino and Orekhovo metro stations, with walking paths leading to the reserve grounds from both locations. Entry is free and the area welcomes visitors from early morning through late evening daily.

The reserve harbors rare plant and animal species found in few other parts of Moscow, making it a refuge for local wildlife diversity. The restored waterworks from the imperial era form an interconnected system that reveals the original landscape vision.