The Mysterious Observatory

Many Astrakhan residents know the building opposite the Volga printing house — an old merchant's mansion. The massive tower with a spire adjacent to the house is still surrounded by mysterious stories. Few people know that this tower is a real observatory. It was built by a merchant for his beloved daughter, who is fond of astronomy and dreams of seeing stars near. The unfortunate girl's legs were paralyzed from birth and there was very little joy in her life.  Therefore, the father, although surprised by her request, still brought his daughter a telescope and attached the same tower to the house, making it an observatory. My daughter began to come to life before my eyes, she spent all the time up there, admiring the stars.

Several versions accompany this legend further. According to one of them, the merchant's daughter became seriously ill and did not live long, according to another — much more mysterious — the girl saw something in the dark night sky that made her sadder even than before. Something unimaginable was revealed to her in the mysterious light of the stars. She could not stand her anguish and died.

My father couldn't stand it. Legend has it that he himself did not live long — after the death of his daughter, he moved to the observatory, where, according to the servants, he often talked about something for a long time, laughed, rejoiced or cried.

And in that mysterious observatory, they say, the ghost of the unfortunate girl still lives, you can even hear her thin, girlish voice, see her silhouette in the window. But to whom, if she appeared– it was to death.