Golitsynsky Pond in Gorky Park

Modern Gorky Park – popular and sought-after holiday destination. A Golitsyn pond – the main water area and the center of attraction for vacationers: after all, this water area with floating swans and ducks can not only admire the – visitors can ride water bikes.

Some details

The history of the origin of the pond dates back to the second half of the 18th century – it was then that the construction of a hospital, which was later named in his honor, began with the money of Prince Golitsyn. The author of the project was the architect M. Kazakov.

The hospital, with 180 beds, was ready by the beginning of the 19th century and was intended to treat the poor and the poor. For walks of the sick, a garden surrounding the medical buildings was laid out. All together it was a composition as close as possible to the estate of the nobles: fountains, sculptures, alleys, a pond and an artificial island.

Between two pavilions on the border of the garden, the embankment was framed with granite – it was called the Golitsyn Wall.

After 1917, the hospital and the garden continued to exist under other names: the hospital became the First City, and the garden from the end of the thirties – Gorky Park.

There were two ponds in the Golitsyn garden – large and small with an artificial island, which in the thirties of the last century was given the name Dance Island: a theater stage was equipped there, and seats for 800 spectators were built on the shore of the pond.

The theater's repertoire was dominated by ballets, because it had its own ballet troupe. For the rest of the productions, artists from the Bolshoi and Maly Theaters were involved.

In the list of performances of that time, as a rule, much attention was paid to the classics: "Ruslan and Lyudmila", "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", "Magic Flute" and much more. The second place was occupied by no less demanded modern works: "Red Poppy", "Dances of the peoples of the Soviet country".

Performances on the water were often arranged. To do this, pontoon bridges were built on the ponds, along which the artists moved according to the storyline of the performance. The stage on the Island ceased to exist with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

Later, the pond was renamed Pionersky, but then the former name was returned.

Golitsyn pond today

It is a very ennobled territory: the embankment was sheathed with wood.  There is free wi-fi. At the disposal of visitors – tables and sun loungers. Near – Lots of places to eat delicious food. You can ride a water bike or a boat. In the evening, the pond is lit up, and there is simply no better place for romantic meetings.