Neighborhoods

Patriarch’s Ponds: The Master and Margarita Pond and Its Park

By Moscow Vibes ·

Patriarch's Ponds: The Master and Margarita Pond and Its Park
Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
  • HoursThe pond and its park are public…
  • Time needed1 to 2 hours

Patriarch’s Ponds Moscow, known locally as Patriki, is a small park with a pond and an affluent residential area in the Presnensky District, just inside the Garden Ring. Despite the plural name there is only one pond today, and a monument to the fabulist Ivan Krylov stands on its north side.

The place is best known from Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita, which opens on a bench by the pond, and visitors often come to look for the setting of that scene. The park is small, so a visit takes an hour or two, and it combines easily with Tverskaya Street and Pushkin Square, which are in the neighboring Tverskoy District.

Quick Facts

Russian name Патриаршие пруды
Address Patriarch's Ponds, inside the Garden Ring, Presnensky District, central Moscow
District Presnensky
Metro Mayakovskaya (Zamoskvoretskaya Line (Line 2, green), A commonly used station for the area; the walking time and the exit were not verified)
Pushkinskaya (Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya Line (Line 7, purple), At Pushkin Square, with the Tverskaya and Chekhovskaya stations; the walking time and the exit were not verified)
Opening hours The pond and its park are public and can be visited at any time of day; cafes and shops around it keep their own hours.

(as of October 2026 – check the official site)
Admission Entry is free.
Best time to visit The park can be visited all year, and it is best on a dry day in spring, summer or autumn. Mornings are quiet, and evenings are livelier when the cafes fill up. In winter the pond freezes. Crowd patterns were not verified.
Recommended duration 1 to 2 hours
Last updated October 7, 2026

What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Patriarch's Ponds?

Part Status Notes
The pond and its park Included in the standard ticket A public park that can be visited free at any time.
The Ivan Krylov monument Included in the standard ticket A free monument on the north side of the pond.
Bulgakov House and museum (Bolshaya Sadovaya 10) Separate ticket or institution A separate sight a short walk away, with its own hours and ticket.
Malaya Bronnaya Street and Tverskoy Boulevard Included in the standard ticket Public streets of the same district, free to walk.
Tverskaya Street and Pushkin Square Outside / not part of it In the neighboring Tverskoy District, covered by its own guide.
Cafes and restaurants around the park Outside / not part of it Private venues with their own hours and prices.

Why Visit Patriarch's Ponds?

The ponds are one of the best-known literary places in Moscow, because the opening scene of Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita takes place here, where the Devil appears in the guise of Professor Woland. Visitors can also see the monument to Ivan Krylov with figures from his fables, and a sign by the pond that refers to the novel.

The surrounding streets are quiet, with older houses and cafes, and the Bulgakov House and its museum are a short walk away. The place is free to visit and open at any time, and it gives a calmer view of the center than Tverskaya Street, which is close by. Note that the neighborhood is one of the pricier parts of the city.

How Patriarch's Ponds Is Laid Out

The ponds lie in a small park inside the Garden Ring, in the Presnensky District, west of Tverskaya Street. The pond is the only one left of the original three, with a path running around it and benches along the edge. The Krylov monument stands on the north side of the pond.

The streets around the park are lined with older houses and small cafes. Malaya Bronnaya Street and most of Tverskoy Boulevard belong to the same Presnensky District, although they are often associated with Tverskaya Street.

A sensible visit takes a loop around the pond and the Krylov monument, then continues to the streets toward the Garden Ring and the Bulgakov House on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street. From Pushkin Square, the park is reached on foot through the lanes; check the route on a map.

Highlights of Patriarch's Ponds

The pond

The park holds a single pond today, although the name is plural and there were once three ponds here. The pond was reconstructed in the 1830s and the park took its present form after a large reconstruction in 2003. A path runs around the water with benches along it. The pond is small, so a walk around it takes only a few minutes.

Tip: Walk the whole loop to see the monument and the benches before you leave.

The Ivan Krylov monument

On the north side of the pond stands a monument to Ivan Krylov, Russia's best-known fabulist, unveiled in 1976. The seated figure of the writer is surrounded by smaller figures from his fables, including an elephant, a crow, a fox, a wolf and a lamb. Many visitors expect a monument to Bulgakov instead, but this is the one that stands here.

Tip: Look for the animal figures around the base, which are easy to miss from a distance.

The opening scene of The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov's novel begins by the pond, where two Soviet writers meet a stranger who is Woland, the Devil, and where a tram accident soon follows. Fans come to find the bench from the scene, but the exact place is a matter of debate, and the pavilion shown today did not exist in Bulgakov's time. A sign by the pond refers to the novel's warning not to talk to strangers.

Tip: Read the first chapter before you go, since the scene is short and the setting is easy to recognize.

The Bulgakov House on Bolshaya Sadovaya

The Bulgakov House, at Bolshaya Sadovaya 10, is the building where the writer lived and where some scenes of the novel are set, and a museum is housed there. The stairwell is covered with graffiti and quotations from the novel. In the book the building carries the number 302-bis. It is a separate sight with its own hours and ticket, a short walk from the ponds.

Tip: Check the museum's own site for hours and tickets before you go.

Malaya Bronnaya Street and Tverskoy Boulevard

Malaya Bronnaya Street and most of Tverskoy Boulevard belong to the same Presnensky District as the ponds, although they are often grouped with Tverskaya Street. They give a quiet walk with older houses and trees, and they lead back toward Pushkin Square. Check the route on a map before you go.

Tip: Use them for the walk back to the metro instead of the busy Tverskaya Street.

The neighborhood of Patriki

Locals call the area Patriki, and it is one of the most expensive residential districts of the center, with older houses, small cafes and restaurants around the park. The area is quiet in the daytime and livelier in the evening. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check hours and menus on site.

Tip: Look for a cafe terrace in the side streets rather than on the corner by the pond.

Atmosphere

Patriarch’s Ponds is a small, calm park in the middle of a busy center, with a single pond, a ring of benches and old trees. Walkers go around the water, and the sounds are those of a quiet residential neighborhood rather than a main street.

By day the park is used by locals, parents and visitors with a copy of Bulgakov’s novel in their hands. In the evening the cafes around it fill up, and in winter the pond freezes and the park looks different. The crowd varies by season and time of day, and no figures were verified.

History of Patriarch's Ponds

In the 17th century the area was a marshy place known as the Goat Marsh, which people regarded as an uncanny, anomalous zone. By order of Patriarch Joachim the marsh was drained and three ponds were dug, which gave the place its name. Patriarch’s Ponds were set up on a stream called the Bubna, and the area was used as a place of recreation.

After the patriarchate was abolished, the ponds were neglected and the area began to turn back into a marsh. A new stage began after the fire of 1812, when two of the three ponds were filled in. The remaining pond was reconstructed in the 1830s, and the district became an upper-class residential area within the Garden Ring.

The ponds were also home to Moscow’s first hospital for children, the Filatov Hospital, which later moved to the Garden Ring nearby. A wooden boathouse was built on the pond in 1946.

The place entered world literature through Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita, written in the 1930s, whose first chapter is set on a bench by the pond. In it the Devil, in the guise of Professor Woland, enters Moscow, and a tram accident takes place nearby. Muscovites have associated the park with Bulgakov ever since.

In 1976 a monument to the fabulist Ivan Krylov was unveiled on the north side of the pond, with figures from his fables around the seated writer. In 2002 work began on a monument to Bulgakov, which caused controversy among local residents, and the Krylov monument has remained the main monument of the park.

The park took its present look in 2003 after a large-scale reconstruction. Today it is a park, a pond and an affluent residential area in the Presnensky District, nicknamed Patriki by locals, and one of the most expensive places to live in the center.

Legends and Myths about Patriarch's Ponds

The bench of Woland and Berlioz

Disputed by historians. Fans look for the exact bench where Bulgakov's characters meet the stranger in the opening scene, and some researchers have proposed specific places by the pond. The novel gives no exact spot, and the pavilion shown at the pond today did not exist when Bulgakov wrote it, so the identification is only a guess.

The anomalous Goat Marsh

Legend – historically unreliable. Before the ponds were dug, the marsh was said to be an uncanny, anomalous place, and a proverb about someone who hastened and got stuck in Patriarshy was told in Moscow. These stories are folklore, not documented history, and they were later tied to the literary fame of the place.

Tickets and Booking for Patriarch's Ponds

There is no ticket for the park or the pond. The only separate sight nearby is the Bulgakov House and its museum on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, which set their own hours and rules; check the museum’s own site before you plan a visit. Cafes and restaurants around the park take their own reservations, and the venues were not verified for this guide.

  • Hotels: several hotels with their own articles on this site, among them the Standart Hotel Moscow and the Parradosso Boutique Hotel, are within walking distance of the ponds.
  • Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.

Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ at most venues, so check each venue’s own page for all categories.

Plan and Book

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Suggested Itineraries for Patriarch's Ponds

1 hour

Walk once around the pond and look at the Krylov monument and the benches. Read the sign that refers to Bulgakov's novel and take a short walk along the surrounding streets before you return to the metro.

2 hours

Walk around the pond and the monument, then continue to the Bulgakov House on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street. Return through Malaya Bronnaya Street and Tverskoy Boulevard toward Pushkin Square.

3 hours

Add Tverskaya Street, Pushkin Square and a coffee stop in one of the cafes of the neighborhood. Plan the Bulgakov museum visit separately and check its hours first.

How to Get to Patriarch's Ponds

The ponds are inside the Garden Ring in the Presnensky District, a walk from several metro stations. The Mayakovskaya station, on Line 2, is the one most visitors use, and the Pushkinskaya station, on Line 7, at Pushkin Square is another option, linked with Tverskaya and Chekhovskaya. The exits and walking times were not verified, so check the route on a map.

  • Metro: Mayakovskaya or Pushkinskaya, then walk through the lanes; the metro guides on this site explain the lines.
  • Taxi: the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options; the streets around the park are narrow.

Accessibility

No accessibility information for the park was found. The paths around the pond are level, but the surface, the benches and the access from the metro stations were not verified, so check on site.

Food Nearby

Cafes and restaurants line the streets around the ponds, and the neighborhood is known for them. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours and menus on site.

What to Bring

Comfortable shoes for a short walk and a copy or a summary of the novel's first chapter if you plan to follow the scene. Bring rubles in cash for small purchases, since foreign cards are reported not to work.

Best Views and Photo Spots of Patriarch's Ponds

The Krylov monument

The seated figure of the fabulist with the animal figures around him, seen from the path by the pond. The pond and trees form the backdrop.

Best time: Morning, with fewer people.

The pond from the north bank

The water with the houses of the neighborhood around it, seen from the bench line. The old trees frame the view.

Best time: Late afternoon light.

The pond in winter

The frozen pond with snow along the paths and the lights of the houses around it. It gives a very different view from the summer park.

Best time: Dusk in winter.

Photography Rules

No photography rules for the park were found. The pond, the monument and the benches can be photographed freely in public areas, as far as is known; respect the privacy of residents and other visitors.

Family Suitability

The park is small, flat and calm, so it suits a short walk with children, and the animal figures of the Krylov monument may interest them. There are few facilities, so plan a cafe stop. Stroller access on the paths was not verified.

Moscow Vibes Tips

  • Read the first chapter of The Master and Margarita before you go, since the park is the setting of the opening scene.
  • Do not expect a Bulgakov monument; the monument by the pond is to Ivan Krylov.
  • The ponds are in the Presnensky District, not in Tverskoy, so they are not on Tverskaya Street itself.
  • Walk back through Malaya Bronnaya Street and Tverskoy Boulevard for a quieter route to Pushkin Square.
  • Combine the ponds with the Bulgakov House on Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, and check its hours before you go.
  • Come in the morning if you want the park calm and in the evening for the cafes.

Explore Nearby Patriarch's Ponds

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Sights near Patriarch's Ponds

  • Patriarch’s Ponds Moscow: Pond, Bulgakov Sites and Walking Tips
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Patriarch's Ponds Moscowabout 50 m away (~1 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hours
  • Bulgakov Museum Moscow: Hours, Tickets and the Bad Apartment
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Bulgakov Museum Moscowabout 400 m away (~6 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 hour
  • Tchaikovsky Concert Hall Moscow: Concerts, Organ and Mayakovskaya
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Tchaikovsky Concert Hall Moscowabout 650 m away (~10 min walk) · typical visit: About 2.5 to 3 hours for a concert
  • State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia Moscow: Hours
    Main 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 (~10 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hours
  • Maxim Gorky House Museum Moscow: Schechtel’s Wave Staircase and Hours
    Main 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 hours
  • Great Ascension Church Moscow: Pushkin’s Wedding Church and Tips
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Great Ascension Church Moscowabout 700 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: About 30 to 45 minutes

Metro stations near Patriarch's Ponds

  • Pushkinskaya Metro Station: Classical Hall and Three-Line Transfer
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Pushkinskaya Metro Stationabout 950 m away (~15 min walk)
  • Tverskaya Metro Station: Built on a Live Line in 1979, Three-Line Hub
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Tverskaya Metro Stationabout 900 m away (~15 min walk)
  • Mayakovskaya Metro Station: Deyneka Mosaics and Stainless Steel Arches
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Mayakovskaya Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)

Restaurants and cafes near Patriarch's Ponds

  • Butler: Sicilian-Inspired Italian Dining near Patriarch Ponds
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Butlerabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)
  • Pafos: Greek Restaurant on Tverskoy Boulevard with Two Themed Floors
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Pafosabout 650 m away (~11 min walk)
  • Loona: Italian Wood-Oven Restaurant on Tverskoy Boulevard
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Loonaabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)
  • Cafe Pushkin: Pharmacy Hall, Library and Russian Classics in Moscow
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Cafe Pushkinabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)

Nightlife near Patriarch's Ponds

  • The Bix Bar: Live 1920s-Style Jazz Near Patriarch’s Ponds, Moscow
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    The Bix Barabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)
  • Noor Bar: Cocktails on Tverskaya Street, Hours and Tips
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Noor Barabout 650 m away (~10 min walk)

Hotels near Patriarch's Ponds

  • Standart Hotel Moscow: Design Hotel on Strastnoy Boulevard
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Standart Hotel Moscowabout 950 m away (~15 min walk)
  • Parradosso Boutique Hotel: Small Hotel Near Chekhovskaya Metro
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Parradosso Boutique Hotelabout 900 m away (~15 min walk)
  • Hotel Pekin Moscow: Stalin-Era Hotel on Triumfalnaya Square
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Hotel Pekin Moscowabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)

Train stations and river piers near Patriarch's Ponds

  • Belorussky Railway Terminal: Aeroexpress to Sheremetyevo and Metro
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Belorussky Railway Terminalabout 1.7 km away (~27 min walk)
  • Kievsky River Pier: Cruises, Radisson Boats and Metro Access
    Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
    Kievsky River Pierabout 2.0 km away (~32 min walk)

Events and traditions near Patriarch's Ponds

Related guides

Browse more: More in Presnensky · All Neighborhoods

FAQ: Patriarch's Ponds

What are Patriarch's Ponds?

A small park with one pond and an affluent residential area in the Presnensky District.

Why are they called ponds if there is only one?

There were three ponds in the 17th century; two were filled in after the fire of 1812.

Is there a monument to Bulgakov?

The monument by the pond is to the fabulist Ivan Krylov; a Bulgakov monument was planned in 2002 but is not the main monument.

Are the ponds in Tverskoy District?

No, they belong to the Presnensky District, next to Tverskoy.

Is there an entrance fee?

No, the park is free and open at any time.

Which metro station is best?

Mayakovskaya on Line 2, or Pushkinskaya on Line 7; check the route on a map.

Where is the Bulgakov House?

On Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, number 10, a short walk from the ponds.

How long does a visit take?

About an hour, longer with the Bulgakov House or a cafe stop.

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Last updated: October 7, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.

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