During the Soviet period, the ancient Crimean city of Balaklava was classified as a secret base of the Black Sea Fleet, and its historic buildings were left unattended, gradually deteriorating until the collapse of the USSR. Only in recent times have local historians begun to actively discuss the numerous architectural monuments, some of which are already in a semi-ruined state. One such partially lost object is the hunting lodge belonging to Prince Felix Yusupov, known for his role in the assassination of Rasputin.

The history of the Romanovs and other noble families of the Russian Empire in Crimea is full of interesting events and architectural landmarks. Felix Yusupov also left his mark by building a hunting lodge on the shores of the Black Sea, which, despite its name, was never used for hunting. The windows of the house offered a mesmerizing view of the bay and mountains. Yusupov loved to visit Crimea, but it was in this house that he lived. However, the story of this magnificent mansion and its owner ended quickly. In 1917, after two revolutions, the prince was forced to leave Russia and never saw his Crimean homes again, nor his estates in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and many loved ones who perished during the years of red terror.

The house in Balaklava witnessed bloody reprisals against officers and other atrocities committed by 'revolutionary' sailors and soldiers. In the following decades, the house gradually fell into disrepair and today resembles a structure from Roman times. It only received the status of a protected site in Ukraine in the 1990s, but this no longer matters, and its status in Russia is still undefined.