Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov, one of the outstanding Russian architects, was born on December 5, 1864, in the village of Khonyatino, in the Kolomna district. After receiving an excellent education, he became a well-known architect. In 1887, Krasnov moved to Yalta, where on October 31, the City Duma appointed him as the city architect with a salary of 900 rubles per year. The young architect enthusiastically took on the transformation of Yalta, and soon his name became known throughout Russia. The main client of Krasnov was Nicholas II, who commissioned him to build the new Livadia Palace. Work began in 1909 and was completed in 1911.

The official opening and consecration of the Livadia Palace took place on September 14, 1911. Krasnov demonstrated outstanding engineering skills, and the archives of the construction work have been preserved to this day. The Ministry of the Imperial Court noted the high level of execution of the order, particularly highlighting the architect himself. Soon after, Krasnov received numerous titles and awards. In October 1911, he was appointed Architect of the Imperial Court and awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree. In December of the same year, he was assigned to the Main Administration of Estates with the responsibility of technical supervision of construction work in Livadia. In 1913, the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts elected him as an academician and confirmed him in the rank of court counselor.

However, Krasnov's happy life changed with the onset of World War I in 1914. The war led to revolutions and the Civil War in Russia. In 1919, Krasnov left the country and after three years in Malta, where he created numerous drawings, he moved with his family to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. In war-torn Belgrade, King Alexander Karađorđević warmly welcomed him.

Serbia became a second homeland for Krasnov, and he made significant contributions to its architecture. He became the chief architect of the Kingdom, building numerous government buildings, including the current government building of Serbia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. By the king's commission, he also worked on the reconstruction of Petar II Njegoš, parks, and cemeteries.

Nikolai Petrovich Krasnov passed away on December 8, 1939, and was buried in Belgrade. His memory lives on in both Serbia and Russia. Monuments have been erected in his honor, memorial plaques have been unveiled, one of the streets in Belgrade bears his name, and exhibitions and conferences are held.