Standing next to Cherkizovsky Pond is St Elijah the Prophet's Church in Cherkizovo. The former village of Cherkizovo is named after Ivan Serkizov - a christened Tatar from the Golden Horde who entered Russian service. Serkizov later sold the land to another christened Tatar called Ilia Ozakov who had the first St Elijah the Prophet's Church built here in 1370. The church was rebuilt in stone between 1689 and 1690 after the original wooden version burned down. The church consists of a single-domed cube structure attached to a beautiful bell tower. During the Second World War the church's parishioners collected money for the war effort. In response Stalin sent a letter of gratitude and the church was never closed. Outside the church is a cemetery and the well-known 'fool of God' Ivan Koreysha, who inspired authors such as Nikolai Leshkov and Fyodor Dostoevsky, is buried here.