The story of the terem in Astashovo is about the restoration of a unique monument of Russian architecture, which transformed from ruins into the only forest museum-hotel in Russia.

The terem in the village of Astashovo was built for Martyan Sazonov, a former serf, contractor, capitalist, and philanthropist. A romantic story is associated with its creation. In 1895, Martyan, who had become wealthy in St. Petersburg, became a widower and returned to his native land. There, he fell in love with Elizaveta Dobrovolskaya, the daughter of the local priest. According to legend, the terem was erected to win the heart of the beauty, who was 30 years younger than Martyan.

The project for the gift to the young wife was developed by architect Ivan Ropet, one of the founders of the 'Russian' style in architecture. The terem turned out magnificent: five thousand details of carving, a turret with an intricate design on the spire, colored glass, Venetian plaster, and Finnish tiled stoves. Sazonov's estate could rival the most luxurious summer houses of its time and caused a real sensation in the remote Volga region.

The revolution interrupted the development of the Galich region. The estate, confiscated from the Sazonov family, became the office of a collective farm. In the 1960s, despairing of waiting for roads and electricity, peasants began to move to the cities. The area became deserted, and the terem was abandoned.

A new life for the estate began in 2011 when it was purchased by Moscow entrepreneur Andrei Pavlichenkov. The restoration, which took five years, was carried out by the architectural bureau of Alexander Popov using historical technologies. They managed to recreate complex architectural details and preserve features characteristic of the style of wealthy peasants, combining urban luxury with practicality. Antique furniture and folk art items collected from the surroundings found their place in the interiors. The living spaces were adapted for a hotel, and a museum of peasant seasonal workers was established in the living room and attic, immortalizing the history of the creator of the terem, Martyan Sazonov.