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The Patriarch's Ponds are one of the most famous sights in Moscow, a popular spot for walks among the capital's residents and their guests. Despite the plural name, there is only one pond here, surrounded by a fairly large park. There used to be two other ponds, but they could not be preserved.

In ancient times – even before the founding of Moscow – priests of an old pagan cult lived in this area. One of their common rites was drowning sacrifices in the swamp that occupied the area of the present water body. In the Middle Ages, the desolate area was known as Goat Swamps. There are several theories regarding the etymology of the name. According to one version, there was a goat farm nearby that supplied wool for the Tsar and other high-ranking individuals. According to other information, the name has nothing to do with horned animals but is connected to the word "intrigues." Many were convinced that an unholy power lived here with evil intentions. Perhaps it was the souls of the drowned.

In the early 17th century, this place appealed to Patriarch Germogen – he founded the Patriarch's settlement here. Later, Patriarch Joachim lived here, who ordered the swamps to be removed and ponds to be created in their place. They received their modern name in honour of the cleric. Such waters were found in various districts at that time – they were home to numerous fish species. Over time, people stopped taking care of the ponds of the Patriarch's settlement, causing them to turn into swamps. By the early 19th century, only one body of water remained, around which the park was laid out.

At the beginning of the last century, construction of residential buildings began in the area of the Patriarch's Ponds. In 1924, the authorities of the USSR changed the name to "Pioneer Ponds" for atheistic reasons. This version did not please the citizens of Moscow, so the water body continued to be referred to by its old name. Around the 1930s, there was a gang of hypnotists here. This fact may have been adopted by Mikhail Bulgakov for the beginning of his most famous novel "The Master and Margarita." It is no wonder that Woland visited this place immediately upon his arrival in Moscow, and not far away, the unfortunate Berlioz slipped on spilled vegetable oil. Most likely, the unholy power that still lives at the Patriarch's Ponds continued to weave intrigues even after centuries. It is worth noting that the famous literary work has made this place a symbol.

📍 Coordinates of the location (map point) available here

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