Patriarshiye Ponds

Patriarshiye Ponds (Patriarch's Ponds, русский. Патриаршие пруды), nicknamed Patriki (Шаблон:Lang), is an affluent residential area in downtown Presnensky District of Moscow, Russia. For the last 200 years, there has been only one pond, although, as the name of Tryokhprudny Pereulok (Шаблон:Lang, lit. Three-Pond Lane) suggests, there used to be more. The area of the existing pond is Шаблон:M2 to ft2; the depth is about two meters. Because of the area's proximity to Tverskaya Street business district, the area is popular with expatriates.Шаблон:Fact

History

Origin

The area is named after the seventeenth century Patriarch's Goat Sloboda (Патриаршая Козья слобода) located on the Goat Marsh (Козье болото). This marsh once connected by a brook to the Presnya River west; by 1739, when the first topographic map was compiled, the brook disappeared and the marsh separated from Presnya. People considered the swamp as an anomalous zone; apparently this caused a proverb "Фома поспешил, да людей насмешил – увяз на Патриарших" ("Thomas has hastened, but made people laugh - he sticked in Patriarshy").

19th century

The pond acquired its present shape and was cleaned up in 1830-1831, a part of a plan to rebuild Moscow after the Fire of 1812. The buildings around the pond were wooden; stone construction proceeded slowly through the second part of nineteenth century. In winters, the Russian Gymnastic Society operated a skating rink on the frozen pond.

At the turn of the century, cheap rental buildings around the pond were occupied by the University students. During the December 1905, the area was held by left-wing student militia and became a war zone. The Ponds also housed Moscow's first hospital for children (the Filatov Hospital, which later relocated to nearby Garden Ring).

Modern history

Mikhail Bulgakov and his wife lived in this area in the 1930s.

From the later 1930s to the 1950s, the lowrise buildings were torn down. The two most important Soviet-era buildings constructed were , a luxurious residence for Red Army Marshals (1945, designed by Zholtovsky workshop) and the 1935 , a yellow postconstructivist high-rise by Vladimir Vladimirov (the building, conceived by Panteleimon Golosov, was completed in part. See original design). The boathouse on the ponds was built in wood in 1946. It was not until the 1980s that it was rebuilt in stone.
In 2000-2002, the controversial Patriarch Apartments were built (design by Sergei Tkachenko); this 13-story building, crowned with a 1/50 scale model of Tatlin's Tower is also known as Alla Pugacheva home.

Bulgakov legacy

The Pond is one of the main settings of Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita. Monuments to Bulgakov and to Ivan Krylov have been erected near the pond. The Master and Margarita begins with a tram accident by the pond. Although there was never any regular tram service or permanent tram tracks around the pond, for a short time in 1930s, there was a temporary service track used for night storage.

Public transportation access

  • Subway: Mayakovskaya, eastern exit; Pushkinskaya

References

  • Russian: П.В. Сытин, "Из истории московских улиц", М, 1948, стр.186-189
  • Russian: Explanation of Bulgakov tram paradox tram.ruz.net
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Tips & Hints
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Vladimir D
27 September 2017
This is my favorite place in Moscow to chill outside with a book (when the weather is nice). And when it gets bad, there are a lot of nice bars and cafes around
Tiffany Z
24 February 2015
Small relaxing & beautiful square. There is a pond with a restaurant balconied over it ???? it's a lovely place to walk around & particularly quiet!
We heart Moscow
18 July 2012
Surrounded by modern restaurants like Uilliam's, «I Love Cake» and Pavilion, Patriarch Ponds area is also one of the main settings of Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita.
P S
31 May 2014
Come here when the weather is nice. Look for a place to grab a bite nearby. There are lots of nice ones.
Asya Feo
3 May 2013
Nice place to jog or just have a walk but you can see a lot of drunk people , just ignore them:)
Riina
3 March 2015
A nice place to sit on the bench and feel the atmosphere of the spirit of Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita.
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Map
Bolshoy Patriarshiy pereulok, 7 строение 1, Moscow, Russia, 124365 Get directions
Mon 3:00 PM–11:00 PM
Tue 5:00 PM–11:00 PM
Wed 4:00 PM–11:00 PM
Thu 5:00 PM–11:00 PM
Fri 4:00 PM–Midnight
Sat Noon–Midnight

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