Patriarch's Ponds
Патриаршие пруды
The setting for the opening of Bulgakov's *The Master and Margarita*, now Moscow's trendiest district of cafés and restaurants.
Patriarch's Ponds lies in the Presnya district inside the Garden Ring. A pond is encircled by tree-lined paths, and the surrounding buildings are elegant apartment blocks from the Tsarist and Soviet eras. Bulgakov's novel *The Master and Margarita* opens here, and book lovers come to find the locations described in the story. The Bulgakov House Museum is nearby. In recent years the district has filled with boutique cafés, restaurants and bars, and it is a weekend gathering place for local young people. When the pond freezes in winter, it opens for skating. Entry is free. Walk about 10–15 minutes from Mayakovskaya station or Pushkin Square.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Arbat Street
- Moscow Zoo
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
- Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts
- Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
- Alexander Garden & Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Bolshoi Theatre
- State Historical Museum