In pre-revolutionary times, the ancient Russian city of Uglich, due to its location on the Volga, was unofficially considered a merchant town. It was a wealthy provincial city that actively developed and included many architectural monuments. Among the pre-revolutionary buildings, there were many merchant estates, but over the decades of Soviet power, almost all of them were destroyed, and today only a small part of the former merchant splendor remains. Among the miraculously preserved buildings of ancient Uglich is the Zimin Courtyard, the estate of the Zimin merchants, founded in the late 18th century near the banks of the Volga. The Zimins were affluent people and traced their lineage back to the Uglich townspeople, starting from the first half of the 17th century.

Historical data indicates that the Zimin family lived on the site of the future estate long before the modern buildings appeared. The construction of the current estate began shortly after the city map was drawn up in 1784. The exact year of the construction of the main house is unknown: most historians point to the end of the 18th century, but there is a version that it was built after 1804. However, such a discrepancy of 10-20 years is not critical for the history of the estate. In the early 18th century, the Zimins were not only wealthy but also held one of the leading positions in the city, and Mikhail Zimin even served as the head of Uglich for some time.

The family created a magnificent estate, which, in addition to the main palace, included many buildings and was considered one of the best in the area. Until the second half of the 18th century, the Zimins remained the owners of the estate, but in 1876 they moved to the capital and sold the property to the city. After that, a school was established in the estate, which was later closed by the Soviet authorities. Subsequently, the estate suffered greatly and was used as a school. Today, it is a federal heritage site and a museum reserve.