The area where I live in Moscow has quite a few interesting beautiful sights. One of them are the Patriarch Ponds.

Even though it’s called “Patriarch Ponds”,  there is ony one pond as known for the last 200 years. Although there used to be three of them. Since the 17th centure this area was a place were Patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox church chose to reside. Created on the site of swamps, the three ponds were supposed to produce fish for Patriarch’s kitchen.

In early 18th centure Peter the Great eliminated the Patriarchy and the ponds were abandoned and the ponds became swamps again. A hundred years later those swamps were buried but one pond remained. That pond is now called “Patriarch Ponds”. That’s the story behind the name.

Patriarch Ponds is a very picturesque area. Poets, writers, artists find here inspiration and capture it in their works.

For instance, Mikhail Bulgakov’s “The Master and Margarita” takes place around Patriarch Ponds.  

I have found some paintings which capture Patriarch Ponds, the atmosphere and the mood of this beautiful area.