Learn about the history and beautiful pictures of a Russian palace belonging to Princess Oldenburg that has been abandoned. The building of the Princess Oldenburg’s Palace in Ramon, which was designed by architect Christopher Neisler for the married couple, started in 1883. In the late 1970s, the palace was shut down for renovation but instead fell into disrepair.
Ramon Palace is a red-brick neo-Gothic palace in Ramon, Russia, sometimes referred to as Princess Oldenburg’s Palace. For Princess Eugenia Maximilianovna of Leuchtenberg and her spouse Duke Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg, it was constructed between 1883 and 1887. It is listed as a Russian cultural heritage item.
This brick mansion, which is officially known as Prince Oldenburg Castle in Ramon, was given to Princess Eugenia of Oldenburg by Tsar Alexander II. It was quite the gift, presented to the princess as a thank you for her assistance in the Balkan conflict, which included administering hospitals and providing care for the injured soldiers in addition to contributing money. That gift also included a sugar plant and hunting forests in addition to the elaborate Neo-Gothic castle.
The History of Abandoned Princess Oldenburg’s Palace
The mansion for the newlyweds was designed by architect Christopher Neisler in 1883, and construction work soon followed. It took three years to construct the meters-thick walls, and the interior finishing touches were added in 1887.
The opulent gift from the Emperor included a manor, a sugar mill, 8,000 hectares of tilled black soil, and woods. And it turned out that such a present was appropriate for Evgenia Oldenburgskaya, a driven entrepreneur and hunter from the 19th century. Since 1879, she has spent 10 out of the 12 months of the year in Ramon Palace, occasionally traveling to the city.
It took three years to construct the meters-thick walls, and the interior finishing touches were added in 1887. The palace was constructed in an Old English design. Across from the manor house were gates and a tower with an inside clock (made by the Swiss firm Winter).
The princess kept herself busy running the village. She built the first candy plant in Russia to use steam power (the Steam plant of Candy and Chocolate), which eventually changed its name to the Voronezh Confectionery. The factory’s goods were well-known around the world and frequently honored at trade shows.
The owner of the home was forced to relocate after the October Revolution, first to Toronto, Canada, and later to France. Koch, a manager, declared the estate insolvent.It was subsequently transformed into a barrack, a school, a hospital, a factory office, etc. after the revolution.
According to a narrative, when the German troops realized that the palace’s owners were of German descent, they decided not to attack it during World War II. The message on the leaflets was, “We won’t bomb the palace.”
Princess Oldenburg’s Palace after the Second World War
In the late 1970s, the palace was shut down for renovation but instead fell into disrepair. It underwent some stabilization between 1999 and 2005, including the installation of a snow melting system on the roof and strengthening of the main stairs, and there were intentions to lease it subject to the preservation of the architecture.
Instead, a group of German architects proposed renovation plans for it in 2009, and in 2010, with the support of Duchess Bibiane of Oldenburg, Mrs. Dorner, a €40 million project to preserve the palace and surrounding buildings as a museum and construct a hotel was launched.
Ghosts in the abandoned Princess Oldenburg’s Palace
The ghost known as “White Girl” apparently visited Princess Eugenie when a young maid passed quite suddenly. When the prominent visitors arrived, a girl in a sharp suit was dispatched to greet them. While she was waiting for them, she got sick from the fall breeze. She never forgave her mistress until she passed away, asking “Why are you doing this to me?” Since then, her spirit has been troubling Eugenia of Oldenburg’s conscience for being too stern with her slaves.
The connection between Evgeniya Oldenburgskaya and the estate manager is the subject of the folklore known as “The Lady in the Black Veil.” The manager was gravely ill when the mistress of the palace’s ghost—a Lady in a Veil—appeared in the home and kissed him on the lips. The witch left the house when his son Seryozha tore off the ghost’s shroud in order to save his father. A actual princess pulled up to the castle’s gates at that very time.
She just spoke one sentence after hearing the boy’s account: “You, Serge, have a great future.” Sergei Mosin received his education and rose to fame as a small-arms designer thanks to the financial support of Evgenia Oldenburgskaya (you may be familiar with the renown Mosin rifle). Additionally, the manager eventually betrayed the princess since, according to academics, it was impossible to set candy warehouses on fire in the tragic year 1906 without his assistance.
The sorcerer’s tale provides proof that the princess experienced episodes of a fatal illness. She was expelled with the aid of a local medicine man. He expected to be rewarded with the affection of a noble patient, but was burned at the stake instead. He cursed the castle and its occupants before passing away. In 1908, the Oldenburgsky family vacated the palace.
Stunning Photos of Abandoned Princess Oldenburg’s Palace
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Abandoned Sugar Factory near the Palace
This sugar plant was a big issue since it survived the Revolution and significantly boosted the local economy. Production only ceased in 2000. Space is seriously damaged, but the legacy endures: when the factory collapsed, the machinery was moved to Voronezh, where candies and other confections were produced using the same exquisitely designed wrappers as the Voronezh Confectionery Factory. The largest confectionery factory in the nation, the Voronezh Confectionery Factory, is still operating today.
A meandering route leads away from the palace and passes this bridge (seen below). If you continue on that path, you’ll eventually come upon the factory’s exterior. You won’t want to venture inside since the unstable ruins still provide a risk. Before returning to the palace, you can peek inside and out to get a sight of both the inside and outside.
Directions to the Princess Oldenburg’s Palace in Ramon
Abandoned Palace Coordinates: 51.908098, 39.340491
The Ramon estate is approximately a 45-hour journey from Voronezh, making that location your best starting point. Just be careful to set up a car to wait for you while you explore as it’s a little out of the way and challenging to get another car when you’re ready to head home.
