In the village of Safonovka, Korenevsky District of the Kursk Region, on the picturesque bank of a pond, stands a palace built in the late 19th century, reminiscent of medieval German castles. Locals call it the 'Palace for the Beloved' and recount the tragic love story of a local landowner whose heart was broken by a German fräulein.

Yosef Viktorov, a landowner from the Kursk province, remained a confirmed bachelor for a long time and lived alone until the age of 70. However, after traveling to Germany, he fell in love with a young German woman. The lady, who was not yet 30, was reluctant to marry an older man and move to the Russian countryside. She said she would agree to marriage if he built her a real palace.

Upon returning home, Count Viktorov, a deputy of the Kursk Noble Assembly, immediately got to work. He hired the best masons, and after three years, a palace reminiscent of Germany appeared on his estate. Only the porch was done in traditional Russian style.

Every brick of the building is adorned with the initials 'IV', and a park with numerous flowers was laid out around the house. A pond was dug in front of the entrance, and a fountain was constructed, which still works today. The fountain was recently discovered during the cleaning of the territory.

According to legend, the count decided he would only live in the palace with his beloved and settled in a wooden hut nearby. Every day he climbed to the highest room of the palace, waiting for her arrival. However, the German woman never came, and the castle became a symbol of unrequited love and loneliness.

After the revolution, Count Viktorov left the country but died on the way in Kharkov. The estate housed a rural school, and a museum was established on the second floor. The castle has survived to this day and now houses an ordinary rural school. Anyone can visit the palace, touch its walls, explore the museum, and remember this amazing story.