On the old noble estate in the village of Ostrov in the Tver region, one can still see an unusual coat of arms featuring a cross, a silver Moon, and a princely cap, which belonged to the ancient family of Shirinsky-Shikhmatovs. This family served Russia since the 17th century, and the estate was the property of the noble descendant Andrey Alexandrovich. In the late 19th century, a large architectural ensemble was built here, including a manor house, wings, utility buildings, a manager's house, a hunting lodge, gazebos, a stable, a dog kennel, as well as a park and a greenhouse.

Andrey Shirinsky-Shikhmatov is remembered as a man passionate about science. He conducted excavations of burial mounds from the 11th-12th centuries in the vicinity of Ostrovki. For instance, in 1903, he discovered over 80 burials in the Fyodovsky earthen burial ground. Most of the artifacts he found were donated to museums. He had a significant collection of ancient icons, church utensils, and works of art, and in 1907, his estate was granted the status of "temporarily protected". Andrey Alexandrovich was a versatile person: besides archaeology, he was fond of hunting and even developed a special cartridge for bear hunting.

However, his hobbies were not always understood. He could suddenly become passionate about music, making guests listen to psalms, or immerse himself in gypsy romances. Once, he tried to create a choir from local peasants, but this endeavor was unsuccessful. His experience in icon painting was more successful: according to the daughter of his friend Ekaterina Voshchinina, he built a church and painted it himself under the guidance of metropolitan artists.

More than a hundred years have passed, but after Shirinsky-Shikhmatov, a magnificent architectural ensemble remains, which has become a landmark of the Tver region.