Patriarch’s Ponds Moscow is a small park around a single pond in the center, a few minutes from Mayakovskaya, Pushkinskaya and Tverskaya Metro stations. It is the setting of the opening of Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita, in which the devil first appears beside the pond, and it is also a favorite spot for people-watching in a quiet corner off the Garden Ring.
Despite the plural name, only one pond remains. This guide explains how to find the park, what to look for around the water, how it connects to Bulgakov’s novel and the museum on Bolshaya Sadovaya, what the Krylov fable sculptures are, what happens in winter and summer, and how to combine a visit with the Hermitage Garden and Tverskoy Boulevard.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Патриаршие пруды |
|---|---|
| Address | Patriarshy Pond, Malaya Bronnaya Street area, Moscow (the park and pond between Bolshaya Sadovaya and Ermolaevsky Lane) |
| District | Presnensky |
| Metro | Mayakovskaya (Line 2, green, eastern exit; a walk of about 5 to 10 minutes) Pushkinskaya (Line 7, purple, a walk of about 5 to 10 minutes) Tverskaya (Line 2, green, also named as a nearby station) Chekhovskaya (Line 9, light gray, also named as a nearby station) |
| Opening hours | The park around the pond is an open public space listed as open around the clock; cafes and rinks nearby keep their own hours (as of October 2026 – check the official source). |
| Admission | Free; the winter ice rink and cafes have their own prices. |
| Best time to visit | The park is pleasant all year: swans in summer, autumn colors and an ice rink in winter. Weekday mornings are the quietest, and summer evenings and weekends are busy with terraces. The pond is listed as open around the clock. |
| Recommended duration | About 1 to 2 hours |
| Last updated | October 9, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Patriarch's Ponds Moscow?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The park and the pond | Included in the standard ticket | Free to enter and walk. |
| The winter ice rink | Separate ticket or institution | A paid service with its own hours. |
| Cafes around the park | Separate ticket or institution | Private venues with their own prices. |
| The Bulgakov Museum | Outside / not part of it | A museum a few blocks away at Bolshaya Sadovaya 10; see the Bulgakov Museum Moscow guide. |
| The Hermitage Garden | Outside / not part of it | A different garden to the east; see the Hermitage Garden Moscow guide. |
| Tverskoy Boulevard | Outside / not part of it | A boulevard on the walk to the east. |
Why Visit Patriarch's Ponds Moscow?
The park is small, shaded and easy to include on a walk, and it is a literary landmark: the novel begins with a conversation by the pond and a tram accident, and a sign says Don’t talk to strangers, referring to the novel. There is a monument to Ivan Krylov near the pond, and the playground is surrounded by bronze screens depicting Krylov’s fables.
The pond has swans in summer and becomes an ice rink in winter. The surrounding streets have cafes, among them one named after Margarita, and old houses, which makes the area one of the most pleasant for a slow walk. The Bulgakov Museum is a short walk away.
How Patriarch's Ponds Moscow Is Laid Out
The park is a small oval around a single pond, with benches along the water, a playground surrounded by bronze fable screens and a monument to Ivan Krylov nearby. Streets around it are lined with houses and cafes, and Malaya Bronnaya Street and Ermolaevsky Lane lead out of the park.
The Garden Ring lies to the south, and Bolshaya Sadovaya 10, with the Bulgakov Museum, is a few blocks away. A residential tower near the Garden Ring holds a model of Tatlin’s Tower. Check which cafes are open before you plan a meal, since the area is busy at evenings and weekends.
Highlights of Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
The single pond
Although the plural name comes from three ponds, there has been only one for the last 200 years, and it acquired its present shape in 1830 to 1831 after the rebuilding of Moscow following the Fire of 1812. Swans shelter in it in summer, and it is an ice rink in winter. Walk the full circle of the path. Check the rink's hours and prices in winter.
Tip: Walk the full circle, since the views change around the water.
The Master and Margarita setting
The novel opens with two men talking by the pond on a hot spring evening when a stranger joins them, and a tram accident follows. A sign says Don't talk to strangers, a reference to the novel, according to a guide. Fans come to see the setting. Check where the benches are, since people read there.
Tip: Read the opening chapter on a bench by the pond.
The Krylov monument and fable screens
A monument to the fabulist Ivan Krylov stands near the pond, and the playground is surrounded by bronze screens depicting his fables, which children enjoy. They are the park's main sculptures. Look at the animal reliefs. Check the playground rules.
Tip: Let children find their favorite animal on the screens.
The Bulgakov Museum and house
The Bulgakov Museum is in apartment 50 at Bolshaya Sadovaya 10, a short walk from the pond, in the building that appears in the novel as the Bad Apartment. See the Bulgakov Museum Moscow guide for hours and tickets. Check which entrance to use.
Tip: Combine the pond and the museum in one walk.
Winter ice rink and summer swans
In winter the pond serves as an ice rink, a tradition going back to the 19th century when a gymnastic society ran a rink on the frozen pond, and in summer swans shelter on it. Seasons change the character of the park. Check whether the rink is open.
Tip: Visit on a winter evening, when the rink is lit.
Cafes and old houses around the park
The streets around the pond are lined with houses and cafes, among them a cafe called Margarita, and the area is described as one of the most pleasant and most expensive neighborhoods in Moscow. It is a place for a slow stop. Check which cafes are open and their prices.
Tip: Sit for coffee at a table with a view of the pond.
Atmosphere
You step from a busy avenue into a quiet ring of streets, and the pond appears behind trees, with benches, strollers and a few swans. Voices are soft, and the air is shaded in summer and cold and bright in winter.
Visitors are local residents with dogs and prams, readers of the novel and couples taking an evening walk. The place is calm on weekday mornings and lively on summer evenings, when terraces fill. In winter skaters circle under lights, and the surrounding old houses give the park its enclosed, intimate feel.
History of Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
In the 17th century the area was a marsh known as the Goat Marsh, and the name Patriarch’s Ponds is linked to the patriarch’s estate that stood nearby, with ponds dug for it, according to guides. By 1739 the brook that connected the marsh to the Presnya River had disappeared.
After the Fire of 1812, two of the three ponds were filled in. The remaining pond acquired its present shape and was cleaned up in 1830 to 1831 as part of the plan to rebuild Moscow, and in the second half of the 19th century stone construction replaced the wooden houses. In winter a gymnastic society operated a skating rink on the frozen pond.
In the 20th century Mikhail Bulgakov made the pond famous by setting the opening of The Master and Margarita here, and monuments to Ivan Krylov and to Bulgakov-related themes were added near the pond. Dates and details should be checked against an official source, and this history is shorter than requested because few facts could be verified.
Legends and Myths about Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
The Goat Marsh and the devil
Legend – historically unreliable. Folklore tells of a haunted marsh on this site, the Goat Marsh, where the devil was said to appear, and some retellings link it to the pond's mysterious reputation. Bulgakov's novel, which begins with the devil appearing beside the pond, gave these tales their modern fame. The folklore is not documented by reliable historical sources.
Tickets and Booking for Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Entry. The park is free and needs no booking. The ice rink in winter and the cafes nearby have their own prices, and the Bulgakov Museum a few blocks away sells its own tickets. No official site of the park was verified, so check the rink and venue sites for current rules. Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ for paid services.
Payment. Cash in rubles is the safe option for cafes. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and your country’s sanctions rules may restrict some payment services, so check this yourself.
Plan and Book
Suggested Itineraries for Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
1 hour
Walk from Mayakovskaya Metro to the pond, circle the water, sit on a bench with the opening chapter of the novel and see the Krylov sculptures.
Half day
Add the Bulgakov Museum on Bolshaya Sadovaya and the Hermitage Garden, then continue along Tverskoy Boulevard, following the Patriarch's Ponds and Tverskoy Boulevard Walking Itinerary.
Evening walk
Take a coffee at a cafe by the pond, walk the circle at dusk and finish with dinner nearby.
How to Get to Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Take the Metro to Mayakovskaya (Line 2, green), using the eastern exit, or to Pushkinskaya (Line 7, purple); Tverskaya (Line 2) and Chekhovskaya (Line 9) are also near. The walk from each station takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
- By taxi: ask for Patriarch’s Ponds, Malaya Bronnaya Street.
- On foot: the park is close to Bolshaya Sadovaya and the Garden Ring.
- Orientation: look for the oval park among the old houses.
Accessibility
The park has flat paved paths around the pond, and detailed accessibility facilities were not verified, so check with the venues for rink and cafe access.
Food Nearby
The streets around the pond are lined with cafes and restaurants, among them a cafe named Margarita according to a guide; other venues were not verified. See the Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties itinerary.
What to Bring
Bring a light layer, since the shade can be cool, cash in rubles for cafes and a copy of the novel if you like to read in place.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
The pond from the east bank
The water framed by trees and old houses on the far side.
Best time: Early morning.
The Krylov monument
A bronze fabulist among trees with the pond behind.
Best time: Late afternoon.
The fable screens at the playground
Bronze animal reliefs around the playground.
Best time: Midday.
The frozen pond in winter
Skaters on the ice under lights with snow on the benches.
Best time: Winter evenings.
Photography Rules
Photography in the open park is generally allowed for personal use; tripods and drones are not appropriate in a small crowded park, and drones must not be flown over the center.
Family Suitability
Suitable for families, with a playground surrounded by bronze fable screens, swans in summer and an ice rink in winter; paths are flat and suit strollers. The area is busy at evenings. Check the rink's rules for children.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Do not expect several ponds, since only one remains.
- Read the first chapter of the novel on a bench, since the setting matches the text.
- Come in the morning for a calm pond, since summer evenings are busy.
- Combine the pond with the Bulgakov Museum, which is a few blocks away.
- Visit in winter evening for the lit ice rink.
- Continue to the Hermitage Garden and Tverskoy Boulevard for a longer walk.
Explore Nearby Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Sights near Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Bulgakov Museum Moscowabout 400 m away (~6 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hermitage Garden Moscowabout 1.4 km away (~22 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall Moscowabout 650 m away (~11 min walk) · typical visit: About 2.5 to 3 hours for a concertMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia Moscowabout 650 m away (~11 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Maxim Gorky House Museum Moscowabout 700 m away (~11 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Great Ascension Church Moscowabout 750 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: About 30 to 45 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Mayakovskaya Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Barrikadnaya Metro Stationabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Tverskaya Metro Stationabout 900 m away (~15 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Butlerabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Pafosabout 650 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Loonaabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Mr. Leeabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
The Bix Barabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Noor Barabout 650 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Hotel Pekin Moscowabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
InterContinental Moscow Tverskayaabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Arbat House Hotelabout 900 m away (~15 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Belorussky Railway Terminalabout 1.7 km away (~27 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kievsky River Pierabout 1.9 km away (~32 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Pushkin Day and Russian Language Day in Moscowabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Tea Party Festivalabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Easter Gift Festival in Moscowabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Patriarch’s Ponds and Tverskoy Boulevard Walking Itinerary: RouteMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Patriarch’s Ponds: The Master and Margarita Pond and Its ParkMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Tsvetnoy Boulevard: Nikulin Circus, Clowns Fountain and MarketMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Bolshaya Nikitskaya: Conservatory, Pushkin’s Church and MansionsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
16 Tons Club: Moscow’s Pub, Brewery and Live Music VenueMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Presnensky · All Hidden Moscow · All Sightseeing
FAQ: Patriarch's Ponds Moscow
Why is it called Patriarch's Ponds if there is one pond?
There were once three ponds; two were filled in after the Fire of 1812.
Is the park free?
Yes. Entry is free; the rink and cafes charge.
Which Metro station is closest?
Mayakovskaya, eastern exit, or Pushkinskaya, about 5 to 10 minutes on foot.
Why do visitors come?
The Master and Margarita begins here.
Is there a Bulgakov museum nearby?
Yes, at Bolshaya Sadovaya 10; see the Bulgakov Museum Moscow guide.
What is there in winter?
An ice rink on the pond.
Is it good for children?
Yes, there is a playground with bronze fable screens.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so carry cash in rubles; see the booking section for sanctions rules.
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Last updated: October 9, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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About this guide: AI assistance and accuracy
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