On the southern outskirts of the Kherson region, on the banks of the Dnieper, near the modern village of Novoaleksandrovka, lies an interesting historical monument, an abandoned castle. In the 19th-20th centuries, it belonged to the Faltz-Fein family, one of whose members founded the Askania-Nova biosphere reserve and the dendrological park in Hryvylivka. The palace briefly delighted with its beauty and grandeur. In its heyday, it was a true paradise with wild animals, rare plants, and exotic fish. However, military events and the intervention of Soviet authorities negatively affected its condition and appearance. In the early 20th century, the estate was owned by descendants of a respected family from the Kherson province, linked to the Liechtensteins. They made a significant contribution to the region's development, especially in merino sheep breeding, and rightfully bore the title of kings of the Tavrian steppes, leaving behind the unique Askania-Nova reserve. At one time, the Faltz-Feins owned up to 8% of the land on the southern shore of modern Ukraine.

The estate is located in the village of Novoaleksandrovka, previously known as Hryvylivka. This name was given to the settlement after Catherine II gifted it to the Russian poet Gavrila Derzhavin. Later, Friedrich Faltz-Fein acquired the estate, and the first representatives of this family appeared here in 1763. Since 1896, the settlement passed to Alexander Eduardovich, who built a luxurious two-story complex in the neo-Renaissance style. The building featured a large tower, a dome with a spire, two arches, and a beautiful entrance. The interior was strikingly luxurious, and on the second floor, there was a glass aquarium with exotic fish that Alexander Eduardovich used to amaze his guests. Near the house, there was a fountain with red and gold fish, and around the castle, there was a dendrological park with cascades of lakes and exotic animals such as peacocks and llamas. The Faltz-Feins actively developed agriculture, horse breeding, and sheep farming, introducing new technologies without the use of serfs. They also supported rural hospitals and educational institutions. Over time, family members became major entrepreneurs in the south, especially thanks to Sofia Bogdanovna, who founded the brand 'Golden Fish,' known in Europe. In 1916, the village had a population of 1500. Thanks to the Faltz-Feins, Hryvylivka saw the establishment of a telegraph, a hospital, and a wharf. However, in 1919-1920, the palace and dendrological park were destroyed, and during the Soviet period, the water bodies lost their rare fish, the dam was destroyed, and a significant part of the dendrological park was flooded by waters from the Kakhovka Reservoir.