Some residents of Tomsk claim that the spirit of their city is reflected in its wooden architecture. This is partly true, as Tomsk indeed impresses with its unique ancient architecture. However, among other buildings, there are those that rather repel, such as the house at 26 Krylov Street. Its crooked walls, broken roof, and shattered ceilings do not inspire a desire to enter. Meanwhile, this building has left a significant mark on Russian history.

Once, it was part of the estate of Tomsk gold miner Semyon Feofanovich Khromov, to whom Elder Feodor Kozmin arrived in 1858. The fate of this man is still shrouded in many mysteries and legends. It is known that in 1836 he was detained in the Urals as a person hiding his origin, after which he was sent to Siberia and eventually ended up in Tomsk. Elder Feodor led an ascetic lifestyle, was friendly, and earned the respect of local residents for his good advice. However, he was distinguished from other wanderers by his command of several foreign languages, officer's posture, noble manners, well-articulated speech, and interest in sciences. Thus, rumors arose that he was none other than the departed Alexander I.

Over time, two cells were built for Feodor Kozmich: one in the garden of the Khromov estate, the other, a summer cell, at Khromov's outpost on the banks of the Ushayka River (now the area of the village of Vostochny). In these cells, he lived alternately, prayed diligently, slept on the bare floor with a log under his head, and listened attentively to every pilgrim. The elder passed away on January 20, 1864, at the age of about 87, which could coincide with the age of the emperor.

After his death, Khromov discovered among Feodor's personal belongings a document of the marriage of Emperor Alexander I with a seal, a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, and a paper with the royal monogram in the form of the letter 'A'. The found chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called suggests that in his worldly life, Elder Feodor could have been awarded this highest order of Russia, which was rarely bestowed and not accessible to ordinary people. What a beautiful legend!