In the remote village of Trifonich in the Kostroma region stands a magnificent merchant estate in the Art Nouveau style. If it weren't for the surrounding birch trees and the picturesque banks of the Volga, one might think they were somewhere in Italy or Austria. However, this estate was built by Russian merchants.

The owner of the estate was textile industrialist Alexander Vitov. The manor house was just part of a vast architectural ensemble that included more than 20 structures: the main house, the manager's house, guest houses, staff quarters, a house for his daughter, a hunting lodge, an ice cellar, a greenhouse, as well as service buildings, a forge, a cow shed, a pigsty, a stable, a barn, and even a small power station.

The grand entrance of the building was adorned with a large glass canopy supported by massive metal grilles and brackets. Carriages of the owners and guests approached the grand porch. The main entrance was arranged on the western outskirts of the complex. Here, at the head of a ravine that served as a natural boundary of the estate, magnificent brick gates with two wicket gates were installed, reminiscent of knightly gates. For ease of movement, both for himself and the peasants, Alexander Vitov also ordered the construction of an impressive stone bridge over the ravine.

Inside, the manor house amazed guests with its luxury. However, the arrangement of the estate was not without its curiosities. Memoirist Chumakov recounted that, lacking artistic taste and being inexperienced in furnishing, Vitov entrusted a furniture company to furnish the house and decorate the rooms with expensive items and trinkets. In each room, there was a plan for the arrangement of furniture, and if someone moved a chair or armchair, the owner would refer to the plan and return it to its place.