Royal Palace… out of Garbage

The heroes of our story didn’t want to live in a normal house. They still believe in fairy tails; this was why they decided to have a Place no matter the cost. When these residents of the Primorski Kray realized they didn’t have money for such an ambitious goal, they decided to build their own castle – one good enough for a prince and a princess. Their golden hands, unlimited imaginations, and sheer stubbornness paid off some 16 years later when their Swan Palace finally became true to its name. It’s hard to believe that a long time ago the spot of the Palace was occupied by an ordinary wooden house. The owners of the Palace, Valentina and Alexi Krivov didn’t want to live in rags and boredom.

Their cure for idleness became a grand renovation that isn’t even finished yet - and the city already knows legends about it – though not everyone knows that the fairytale can grow out of garbage. Krivovi daily scavenge the streets of Artem for shards of tile and pieces of bricks; sometimes their neighbors help them out.

Alexi does the heavy lifting while his wife is the boss of everything else. Valentina Krivova (the manager of the project) is a builder by profession and an architect by calling. She decided to use her backyard to store the whole world – the towers of Seherezada stand next to the church spires, and there is France right across the Russian eagle.

The construction of the Palace started in 1995 and ended 16 years later. At first, the Krivovs were building their palace on their own; they collected their building materials from the streets and construction dump sites. Later, their neighbors joined in when they noticed the couple’s work.

The front yard is paved with colored tiles, the towers and the columns are all made in traditional Russian style. Aside from Alexi and Valentina, the residents of the towers include fourteen cats and three dogs. Krivovi’s house is especially beautiful during summer and fall when the light dances across the tiled ground, but four-legged friends like the Krivov Palace all year round. Fourteen cats and three dogs settled in the Palace quite comfortably. What else can Krivovs use to decorate their yard? The couple has plenty of plans; they just hope they won’t run out of materials.

Both owners have their own hobbies: Valentina loves architecture and Alexi can’t live without his beloved grape vineyard. Alexi and Valentina complete each other and build their Palace on their love. They see it not as a citadel with a tall fence, but a Palace for the soul and guests. All the couple hopes for is to meet other Palace enthusiasts and see their dream home.

Do you want to see this wonder? Here’s the address: Primorski Kray, Artem City, 49 Paganini street. The gates are open to everyone.