The current Chistye Prudy are located on the top of a gentle hill. Such places were characterized by swamps and small rivers flowing from them. On the “clean” everything was like that - the streams formed the Rachka River, which was a tributary of the Yauza. With the growth of Moscow, the reservoir was drained, and the wall of the White City built in the 16th century cut Rachka. Since it was forbidden to build houses in the lowland in front of the wall, a famous pond appeared at this place at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries.
The reservoir was called Pogany Pond, and there are several versions about the appearance of such a dissonant name. According to one of them, in this area the pagans worshiped their gods, and the word “filthy”, which came from the Latin “paganus” (pagan), characterized not something dirty, but a pagan. According to another version, the place of the future Moscow was previously occupied by the possessions of the boyar Stepan Kuchka, who inappropriately received Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. For this, the prince ordered the boyar to be killed and his body to be drowned in a pond, after which the reservoir received the name "Bad".
However, according to the most famous version,
the pond began to be called Pogany, as merchants from butcher shops on Myasnitskaya Street dumped production waste into it. In the summer, when an incredible heat hung over the capital, fetid odors hovered over the reservoir, and people tried to avoid it.
Prince Alexander Menshikov put an end to the dirty past of the pond. After the favorite of Peter I bought a mansion near Pogany Pond, he decided to clear the reservoir, strictly forbidding it to be polluted. And the butchers left Myasnitskaya Street. Since then, the ponds have been called Clean. However, historians claim that Menshikov cleared the ponds that were not known to us, located behind the White Wall, but those that were located in the depths of the quarter. Now in their place is Chistoprudny Boulevard and a pedestrian zone.
Familiar to every Muscovite, Chistye Prudy appeared later. Their first mention is in the documents of the Catherine era, devoted to plans for the destruction of the walls of the White City and the construction of the boulevard. Three ponds were noted there, but after the Patriotic War of 1812, only one was equipped. Despite this, in the popular memory the name was preserved in the plural.
In 1820, Chistoprudny Boulevard was built near the ponds. It became the second longest after Tverskoy: its length was 822 meters. The boulevard was inhabited by people of different social strata: from the Moscow nobility, who built luxurious mansions along the inner side of the street, to the townspeople and merchants, who built up the outer side with their yards. At the same time, the tradition of festivities along Chistoprudny Boulevard has remained since the time of Griboyedov and Pushkin.
Until 1958, a boat station worked at Chistye Prudy: in the summer it was possible to ride a boat. In winter, when the ice froze, everyone who wanted to take them on "clean" skates. In 1960, the banks of the ponds were reinforced with stones and then with concrete.
Fortunately, the transformations of the Soviet era did not affect Chistoprudny Boulevard:
buildings have not changed their appearance since the end of the 19th century. For example, the Coliseum cinema, designed by architect Roman Klein, is still located at 19A Chistoprudny Boulevard, only now it houses the Sovremennik Drama Theatre.
Chistye Prudy may have become one of the most mentioned Moscow reservoirs in Russian literature. So, for example, Yuri Nagibin called the ponds "the focus of the most beautiful", which filled his childhood, "the most joyful and saddest, because the sadness of childhood was also beautiful." He called the famous ponds a school of nature: “We fished here, and it happened that not just a black leech wriggled on a hook, but a real silver bait. And it was a miracle to catch a fish in the city center.”
The writer also noted that in his time
among the boys there was the title of "chistoprudnye". It gave the right to fish, ride a boat, climb ice boulders in winter and build snow fortresses.
Only those who lived on the boulevard could earn it: the inhabitants of the nearby lanes were denied the title. “Not only could we not approach the pond, but simply crossing the boulevard on the way to school was fraught with considerable risk. A broken nose, a purple bruise under the eye, a hat torn from the head is the usual retribution for insolence, ”wrote Nagibin.
Patriarch's Ponds
Patriarch's Ponds is not only the name of the famous reservoir itself, but also the surrounding square and residential microdistrict, on the territory of which there are three churches, a synagogue and more than 15 embassies.
In place of the "patricks" there used to be a goat swamp. It got its name either because of the goats grazing here in huge numbers, or because of the proximity to the place where goat wool was processed and delivered to the royal and patriarchal courts. However, there is also a conspiracy theory, according to which it was not the goats, but the intrigues that the evil spirits repaired by the inhabitants of these places.
Allegedly, on the site of a swamp in ancient times, pagan priests drowned their victims, and before that they often cut off their heads. Patriarch's ponds, an hour of an unprecedentedly hot sunset, a severed head - it reminds me of something ...
At the beginning of the 17th century, Patriarch Hermogenes decided to build his residence on the Goat Bog. So, in its place, the Patriarchal Sloboda appeared, which included several churches. In 1683, the clergy ordered to dig three ponds for breeding fish for the patriarchal table: two on Presnya, where expensive varieties of fish were bred, and one on the Goat swamp, where cheaper livestock were launched.
Subsequently, the Patriarchal Sloboda fell into decay. The ponds were started up, and the area became swampy again. They were remembered only in the first half of the 19th century: then it was decided to bury the old reservoirs and leave one decorative pond. A square was laid out around it and began to be called "Boulevard of the Patriarch's Pond".
The spring flood of 1897, which seriously polluted the pond, made the Moscow authorities seriously think about the "perfect filling" of the reservoir.
The City Duma argued that the existence of a pond in "a densely populated area does not cause any real need." The story ended well: the "patricks" were spared and decided to fill it with fresh Mytishchi water.
The skating rink on the Patriarch's Ponds, built on the frozen surface of the reservoir and so beloved by Muscovites today, gained its popularity at the end of the 19th century. It is known that, for example, the writer Leo Tolstoy took his daughters there to skate in winter.
It is noteworthy that the Soviet authorities, as part of the fight against religion, renamed the Patriarch's Pond into Pionersky, and with it the Patriarch's Lane, located in the neighborhood. However, despite the renaming, the people continued to call the pond Patriarchal.
Golitsyn pond
Today Golitsynsky Pond can rightly be called the heart of Gorky Park. The reservoir consists of the Big and Small ponds, which are connected by a narrow isthmus. Work on its creation began in 1954.
During the entire period of its existence, the reservoir changed its name several times: in Soviet times, the pond was called Pioneer, but after the collapse of the USSR, its historical name was returned to it, and the pond at the main entrance to the park was called Pioneer. The pond retained the name of Prince Dmitry Golitsyn, who created the Golitsyn Hospital for the Poor in 1802 (today the First City Hospital).
In the 30s of the 20th century, waterfowl were brought into the pond: among them were two swans with black necks of a rare breed. Currently, the birds delight visitors to the park only in summer: in winter they are carefully moved to special houses. Until recently, the Golitsyn reservoir was completely covered with algae. This problem was solved by 400 kg of fish released into the water by the management of the park. It was she who cleared the pond of silt and algae. Today, silver carp, carp, crucian carp, perch and white carp live in the pond. Reeds, reeds and water lilies are planted along the shore.
Nearby is the so-called "Island of Dance". Now it is not used for its intended purpose, but in the 1930s one of the most beautiful stages in the park was located here.
On the shore, on the site of the modern Ostrovok cafe, there was an amphitheater for spectators (about 700 seats). There one could watch a performance, a ballet, an opera, and artists from the Bolshoi Theater often performed on stage.
Today, the large area of the reservoir gives the townspeople the opportunity to rent catamarans at the boat station. The main thing is not to disturb the peace of the graceful swans and ducks, the real owners of the Golitsyn pond. Near the pond there are sun loungers and benches: feel free to land on them and have a picnic. Park Wi-Fi and sockets located next to the sunbeds will help you stay connected. In the evenings, lamps will create a romantic atmosphere, slightly illuminating the water surface of the pond.
Ostankino pond
The Ostankino pond was dug at the beginning of the 17th century in the floodplain of the Ostankino stream. He has two more names - Palace and Akterkin. He received the second during the time of Count Sheremetev, who in the middle of the 18th century built a fortress theater near the pond. According to legend, actresses, tired of a hard life, illness and oppression, committed suicide by drowning in a pond.
However, some historians note that notoriety swept the Ostankino pond long before the sad fate of serf artists. According to some reports,
on the site of the reservoir in the past there was a suicide cemetery, and later - a German Protestant one. From this, historians conclude that the name of the area comes from the word "remains".
It was also emphasized that in ancient times the pagans performed sacrificial rituals at the same place. And, according to one of the mystical versions, restless souls are allegedly pushing the inhabitants of the Ostankino district to commit suicide at the present time.
On the site of the cemetery today there is a small building of the television center. This arrangement gave rise to legends about the ghost of an old woman who was allegedly buried alive near the pond. The sorceress lived in the 18th century, during the reign of Emperor Paul I. It was she who, according to legend, predicted the death of the autocrat during his visit to the estate of Count Sheremetev. Since then, she allegedly walks around Ostankino and portends trouble. At the same time, it was noted that after the death of the old woman, the peak of suicides began in the serf theater of the count.
If we omit all mysticism, then we can say that in the 18th century the pond was popular among the townspeople. People walked along the shore, rode boats, and also launched fireworks at night near the reservoir. Alleys led Muscovites into the depths of the forest, which used to be a hunting ground. Today, on the pond, you can sit on comfortable benches, feed the ducks, and also try your luck and meet famous TV presenters rushing to work at the Ostankino television center.
Lefortovo ponds
Lefortovo ponds are the main water area of the park of the same name, located in Izmailovo. It appeared in the 18th century as a garden at the palace of Admiral Fyodor Golovin, close associate of Peter I. The park was built by Dutch architects, whom the emperor personally invited to Russia. They installed many dams, red brick terraces and dug ponds, which they later called "Lefortovo".
Each reservoir has its own name: Boot, Northern, Bathhouse, Square, Guitar and Island. Sapozhok Pond is named after its unusual shape, and Guitar Pond used to resemble a church cross, but after the banks “floated” it became like an extended part of a guitar.
Interestingly, the Lefortovo ponds and reservoirs in Izmailovo acted as Chistye Prudy in the 1965 film of the same name directed by Alexei Sakharov based on the works of Yuri Nagibin.
Unfortunately, it is forbidden to swim in the ponds (why disturb the rest of the ducks?), but no one will prevent sunbathing. On warm days, all the banks are filled with sunbathing Muscovites. In summer, in the park, you can see elderly citizens throwing fishing rods: they hunt hybrids of crucian carp and carp. However, Rospotrebnadzor experts argue that fish caught in the pond should not be fed even to a domestic cat.
Address: Chistoprudny Boulevard
How to get to Chistye Prudy: st. Metro Chistye Prudy
Chistye Prudy, or Chisty Pond - now this name is given not only to the reservoir, but also to the entire nearby park area, as well as the area. If we consider the relief map of the area on which Chistye Prudy are located, we can see that the top of a gentle hill is located here. Often it was in such places that there were swamps from which streams or small rivers flowed. In the case of Chistye Prudy, this was the case - the streams formed the Rachka River, which was a tributary of the Yauza.
During the growth of Moscow, this place was gradually drained and populated. When at the end of the 16th century the architect F.S. On the site of ancient wooden fortifications, the wall of the White City was built by a horse, it cut Rachka. It was impossible to build houses in front of the wall in the lowland, and a pond was formed in this lowland at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries.
In the beginning it was Pogany Pond. There are three versions of the origin of this name. According to one of them, the Balts-Gentiles worshiped their pagan gods in this area. Indeed, in ancient times, the word "filthy" (from the Latin "paganus" - pagan) was not called something bad or dirty, it was how the pagans were designated. Another interpretation of the name of the pond comes from an ancient legend that takes us to the origins of Moscow. On the site of the future city, there used to be the village of the boyar Stepan Kuchka, who did not respectfully receive Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. The enraged prince ordered the Kuchka to be killed, and his body to be drowned in a pond, after which the pond received the nickname Pogany. It is known that a real tragedy is connected with this place. In July 1570, on the orders of Ivan the Terrible, 120 boyars and servicemen, whom the tsar accused of treason, were brutally executed after painful torture.
But the generally accepted option is that the Pogany pond began to be called, because merchants from nearby butcher shops and slaughterhouses, located along Myasnitskaya Street, dumped waste into it. In the heat, fetid odors hung over the pond, and the place was rather unpleasant. At the end of the 17th century, the mansion near the pond was acquired by the favorite and associate of Emperor Peter I, Prince Menshikov. Alexander Menshikov could not tolerate such a neighborhood near his house. He cleared the ponds and forbade them to pollute in the future. Soon the butchers were forced out of this area of Moscow, because. Myasnitskaya ran to the palace village of Preobrazhensky and to the German settlement (Lefortovo), where Peter I and his entourage often traveled. Since that time, the ponds have been called Clean. Now, on the site of the once luxurious Menshikov estate, there is the Main Post Office, built in 1912.
In the past, the ponds were a popular recreational destination at any time of the year. In winter, people went skating here, and in summer - boating. Such well-known athletes of the past as the world champion of 1910-1911 trained on the ice of Chistye Pruda. Nikolai Strunnikov and European champion Vasily Ippolitov, as well as Yakov Melnikov.
Back in 1820, Chistoprudny Boulevard was built - the second longest after Tverskoy. The boulevard is 822 meters long, a quiet side road separated from the busy main road by a lawn. The inhabitants of Chistoprudny Boulevard belonged to the most diverse social strata, which led to the heterogeneity of its development. On the inner side of the street, the Moscow nobility built their luxurious mansions, and on the outer side - wealthy burghers and merchants, middle-class yard owners.
In 1958, a boat station was closed at Chistye Prudy, in 1960 the banks were reinforced with stones, and in 1966 with concrete. Now only swans and ducks swim on the surface of the pond, which are relocated for the winter to "winter apartments" equipped near the Novodevichy Convent. During the years of Soviet power, Chistoprudny Boulevard bypassed radical transformations, and most of the buildings here belong to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the main architectural and cultural attractions of the boulevard is the building at number 19-a. The mansion was built for the cinema in 1912-1914 by the architect R.I. Klein for the Colosseum cinema, and now it houses the famous Moscow drama theater Sovremennik.
In the 90s of the 20th century, Chistye Prudy acquired a reputation as a cult party place. Fans of informal music gathered here: rockers, punks, as well as bohemia, informals. Chistye Prudy often became a venue for various rallies and celebrations of sports victories. Many agree to meet near the monument to Griboedov, located in the park on Chistye Prudy. In 1990, the metro station formerly known as Kirovskaya was renamed Chistye Prudy. In winter, the pond serves as a spontaneous skating rink for skaters. Now the pond is fed from the water supply, and the Rachka River no longer exists.
If you have a day off, do not rush to get into the car and go to Auchan. Summer is the best time for walking! And if, like almost any Muscovite, you do not know the city at all, then the time has come to fix it!
Today we will walk from the Chistye Prudy metro station not along the boulevard (which would be too obvious), but along the lanes that hide a lot of beautiful and interesting things: Leonardo DiCaprio, the most delicious ice cream in Moscow, a dovecote from Soviet books and much more. Don't forget to buy a bottle of water in advance and hit the road!
Our first landmark is McDonald's. We pass by and walk along Myasnitskaya Street. We turn into Gusyatnikov Lane, and then to Ogorodnaya Sloboda. It is here, in a small square between houses 2 and 6, that an unusual monument stands. The locals have long nicknamed him "Leonardo DiCaprio". Like it or not - you decide. Of course, it is hard to imagine that the city authorities, out of love for the film "Titanic", would immortalize a Hollywood actor in the center of Moscow. In fact, this is a monument to the young Lenin, or rather "Lenin the gymnasium student." A unique image of Ilyich, nevertheless, people of the older generation easily recognize him - it looks like a face on Soviet badges.
And for the youth, the monument was signed with paint.
Then we go to Bolshoi Kharitonievsky Lane. Here, among the fences and trees, the estate of the Volkov-Yusupovs is hidden. One of the buildings - the oldest in the complex - belongs to the 17th century. It is easy to identify: a stone building, massive white walls, small windows. In front of the house there is a small garden, reminiscent of the fact that once there were forests. It was from here that Ivan the Terrible and the boyars Volkov-Yusupov began hunting, following longer to Sokolniki.
And the white stone building is also famous for the fact that little Pushkin once lived in it with his parents. It is easy to imagine him running down the porch into the garden.
In the courtyard of the estate, where the second building of the Volkov-Usupov estate stands (house 21, building 4), fruit trees grow: cherries and pears. In July, you can already try these cherries, but you have to wait for the pears. Knowledgeable Muscovites often gather tree fruits here, and now you are privy to this secret.
We go, paying attention to the old houses, to the street. Makarenko. We are interested in house eight. Here is a unique Moscow courtyard: with an apple orchard, a playground, a real dovecote and a small zoo where peacocks and black swans live. This whole courtyard was arranged by one person - a local resident Eldar, who lived on Chistye for four decades. He defended the apple orchard from people who wanted to build a parking lot in its place. If you are polite and say hello, and not just walk by, then Eldar will definitely tell the story of the court, allow you to go to the swans and feed them grass, and show the way to the apple trees.
You should definitely come here with your child! Everyone watched the Moscow zoo, but to see a real menagerie in an ordinary Moscow courtyard is an amazing experience!
While we were walking, you probably had a desire to eat. No need to look for "Chocolate Girl" or "Coffee House". While you are in the area, you should definitely try the most delicious ice cream in Moscow!
They make it in the cultural center "Pokrovsky Gates" (Pokrovka St., 27, entrance from the yard), or rather, in the cafe "Tea Height". The menu has more than 40 types of tea ice cream according to original recipes. Ice cream is called so because it is made on the basis of tea. Ice cream with Crimean rose, with cloudberries, with cheese, with Pu-erh tea is worth attention. Each taste is an unforgettable gastronomic experience. Then you will recommend tea ice cream to all your friends!
Ice cream is brought slowly, so while waiting for it, you can look into the bookstore of the cultural center. On its shelves are not only art publications, but also books on philosophy, history, culture. The large children's section is conveniently decorated: each cabinet is signed: from 2 to 5, from 6 to 10, and so on, up to 16 years. It is worth paying special attention to the products of the Samokat publishing house: it prints smart children's books (authors: Annika Thor, Ulf Stark, Marie-Aude Muray and many others).
A historical and, frankly, atmospheric place for a walk in the center of Moscow is Chistye Prudy. A labyrinth of streets with old houses and signs on them with the names of people who were born, created masterpieces or simply stayed here for a while, form a kind of open-air museum. So everything here is permeated with the spirit of history and creativity. Well, go ahead: we reach the Chistye Prudy metro station and here they are, protected spiritual places, stretching from Myasnitskaya to Pokrovskaya Square. 
History of Chistye Prudy
There are several versions of the history of Chistye Prudy. A more well-known version is that in the 17th century there was a slaughterhouse in the area, and the sewage merged into local reservoirs, then there were three such ponds, called filthy ones. After the order of Peter I, these lands were granted to his favorite, Prince Menshikov. Part of the reservoirs, by order of the prince, was drained, and the largest of them was cleaned, at the same time a ban was imposed on water pollution. From that moment on, Chistye Prudy became the historical name of the place, retaining the plural form in the name, as a tribute to the past. 
Today it is a walking area and a cultural and historical park. Chistoprudny Boulevard is a wide park alley for walks, which extends to the Chistye Prudy health-improving center, and behind this building, to Pokrovsky Gate Square, there is the pond itself. You can rent a bike to tour the nearby historical sites or walk along the pond, feed the ducks and watch the swans. 
Cultural and historical places of the Chistye Prudy park
Let's go through the most iconic places of the route beloved by the guides. The beginning of the park zone of Chistoprudny Boulevard begins at the monument to Griboyedov, the author of the classic work Woe from Wit. On the pedestal you can see a high relief depicting the heroes of comedy. The monument was created by sculptor Apollon Manuilov and installed in 1959 on the site of an abstract sculpture by Russian anarchist Mikhail Bunin. The latter was dismantled at the request of members of the public for an incomprehensible futuristic approach to its creation. Griboyedov himself lived for some time on Myasnitskaya Street, at number 42, where he completed the well-known comedy, and therefore the place was chosen logically. 
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A walk along Chistoprudny Boulevard, on the left side, will lead us to house 19. The historic building, created by the architect Roman Klein in the early twentieth century in the neoclassical style, was the premises of the previously famous cinema "Coliseum". And in 1974, the building housed and now houses the Sovremennik Theater. One of the founders and the first artistic director of the theater was Oleg Efremov, who largely determined the stylistic feature of the theater - to speak with the audience about eternal truths in the language of contemporary art. 
Moving along Chistoprudny in the direction of the Pokrovsky Gates, geographically completing the Chistye Prudy district, you can go to the Church of the Trinity on Gryazakh, which is located on Pokrovka Street. Next to it is another architectural masterpiece - a tenement house that previously belonged to the church, built at the beginning of the 20th century. Its design is curious: bas-reliefs on the levels from the 2nd to the 4th floor depicting fantastic animals, birds and trees. Designed by S. Vashkov and P. Mikini. Thanks to these images, the building received the name "House with animals." The upper floors were added in 1945, so the building looks fragmentary unfinished. Partially, this house is visible in the frames of the film "The meeting place cannot be changed." 
"House with animals" is adjacent to the modern cinema "Rolan", located in the house number 12. It bears the name of the talented actor Rolan Bykov. Previously, the Borodino Panorama was located here, now it has been moved to Kutuzovsky Prospekt. 
Further - along Chistoprudny we go to Arkhangelsky Lane, turning onto which we will see the Menshikov Tower. Alexander Menshikov, “a childless minion of happiness,” ordered the construction of a huge stone church near his farmstead on the site of a dilapidated church. The construction of this building was carried out with the participation of Italian architects. The temple tower, built in the Baroque style, surpassed the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in height. But the “semi-powerful ruler,” as Pushkin called Menshikov, did not calm down on this. Alexander Danilovich bought a chiming clock in London for a fabulous sum, which they installed on the temple. The clock chimed the hour, half an hour and a quarter - which was not the case on the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower. The celebration was complete, but short-lived. Lightning cut down the spire, and the clock - their age turned out to be short - was dismantled and brought to the Cannon Yard. 
Modernity of Chistye Prudy Park
A walk along Chistoprudny Boulevard is not only historical monuments and a tribute to the past. This is an active recreation area that attracts different generations and representatives of cultures to the alleys. Representatives of the modern underground like to gather here. "At Griboyedov's" is a favorite place for romantic meetings. Both native Muscovites and guests of the capital want to come here to see with their own eyes the stories inspired by the touching melody performed by Igor Talkov, illustrations by masters of painting and works of art. 
Everyone who comes to Chistye Prudy is surprised: why is it in the plural, if the pond is just one? The explanation is quite logical: one of the ponds was filled up. The same situation was in the case of the Patriarch's Ponds: the name also retained the plural.
Once upon a time there were swamps in this place, but they were gradually drained. The Rachka River, which flowed here, was crossed by the walls of the White City, and a pond formed near the walls. At first it was called Poganym, there are several versions of this name. Many believe that it comes from the word paganus, which means "pagan". This story is connected with the boyar Kuchka, who was not respectful enough to the founder of Moscow, Yuri Dolgoruky, for which he was first killed and then drowned in a pond. A historically confirmed fact: there were executions on the site of Chistye Prudy, but during the time of Ivan the Terrible. By order of the king, 120 boyars were cruelly tortured and executed at this place.
But the most common version is related to the fact that there used to be meat rows near Pogany Pond. All of Moscow came to the slaughterhouses (by the way, they were located on the street with a telling name - Myasnitskaya). When cutting meat, unnecessary parts that were not for sale were thrown directly into the reservoir by butchers. This fact could not but anger Prince Menshikov, who lived nearby. The prince ordered the ponds to be cleaned. After that, the name "nasty" disappeared, and the ponds became Clean.
In 1911, it was on the ice of Chistye Prudy that the world champions in figure skating trained. By 1960, the pond was equipped, a boat station was opened. In winter, people go skating here, and closer to summer, representatives of informal subcultures gather in a small area near the monument to Griboyedov.
Chistoprudny Boulevard often hosts open-air photo exhibitions. By the way, the Annushka tram runs along it. There is an aquarium nearby.
The address: Moscow, Chistye Prudy (m. Turgenevskaya, Chistye Prudy, Sretensky Boulevard)
