The estate of Konoplino is located at the confluence of the Korzhach River into the Volga, not far from the ancient city of Staritsa. In the past, it belonged to Ivan Ivanovich Lazhechnikov, who is considered the creator of the "Russian historical novel." He wrote his first book during the Patriotic War of 1812 while in the trenches. Lazhechnikov was acquainted with Pushkin and once, using his oratory skills, prevented yet another duel of the hot-tempered poet.

The Staritsa district is steeped in history. Among its main attractions is the Holy Assumption Monastery, founded in the early 12th century by monks from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The coat of arms of Staritsa is one of the most original in Russia: it depicts an elderly woman with a staff. According to legend, after the Mongol invasion, only one old woman survived from the settlement at this site. Staritsa is known as the last Russian "freedom," having long maintained independence from Moscow, but the princes of Staritsa eventually fell victim to Moscow rulers, and Ivan the Terrible made the city his residence.

The estate of Ivan Lazhechnikov in Konoplino is surrounded by an ancient park. Russian landscapes and the unusual views of "Staritsa Switzerland" have always attracted writers and artists. The main house was built at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries by the Bolkhovsky princes. Lazhechnikov acquired it in 1835 when he held the position of director of the provincial schools, and later became the vice-governor of Tver. Here he worked away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. The estate was visited by critic V.G. Belinsky and writer N.V. Stankevich.

The son of a wealthy merchant, Lazhechnikov received an excellent home education and at 18 ran away to join the army, reaching Paris. His first work was "Notes of a Russian Officer," written during the War of 1812. The novel "Basurman," about the struggle for power in Russia in the 15th century, was written in Konoplino. The events of the novel took place on this land. There he also conceived the drama "Oprichnik" about the era of Ivan the Terrible. His best work is considered to be "The Ice House," written in a vivid and figurative language.

In the second half of the 19th century, the estate passed to A.F. Shishmarev, a lover of thoroughbred horses. After his death, his widow Maria Shishmareva created a monastic community and later founded the Staritsa Mariinsky Women's Monastery. Under her, a church in honor of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity and a bell tower made of local white stone were built, for which a factory was established to extract the stone.

Before meeting Shishmarev, she had contemplated entering a monastery. The death of her husband solidified her intention. She became a nun and the first abbess of the monastery. Under her, there was a choir in which the mother herself sang. Mother Maria is buried under the cathedral.

The Soviet authorities closed the monastery, evicted the nuns, and the former estate housed institutions for the disabled and elderly as well as a psychiatric hospital. Until recently, it was in a sad state.

Currently, in Konoplino, the main house with a wing, a dining room, cells, a chapel, a bakery, a kitchen, a granary, a pond, and an ancient park have been preserved. By the end of the 1980s, the estate was in ruins, but it has recently passed to a private owner who has restored it. There is no exact information about access to the estate, but arrangements can be made with the guards. The new owner plans to open a small museum, but for now, these are just plans.