facing the red line. In the second half of the 18th century, commercial enterprises began to appear on the main street of the capital. In the 1730s, a wooden predecessor to the modern Gostiny Dvor appeared. One-story squat benches under a common high roof, with an open gallery in front of them, stretched along the avenue. By a decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna of 1748, it was decided to replace the wooden building with a stone one at the expense of merchants according to the project of the architect Rastrelli, which was later replaced by the project of Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe in the style of classicism. The Gostiny Dvor was built from 1761 to 1785, indented from the red line, which gave a good view of the building from afar. Other stone trading structures appeared nearby, for example, the Silver Rows, which opened in 1787. Nearby, architect Giacomo Ferrari erected City Duma building with a tower at the corner with Nevsky Prospekt. By the end of the 18th century, both sides of the highway beyond the Fontanka were almost built up. In the place where the metro station "Ploschad Vosstaniya" is now located, in 1765, according to the project of the architect Znamenskaya Church appeared. On the site of the current Oktyabrskaya Hotel since 1743, the Elephant Dvor was located, where elephants were housed, donated by the Persian shah the royal court. Later on this place was a hunter's yard with a wooden Ober-Jaegermeister's house Further on the left side was the "new carriage row" – stone sheds where you could buy carriages, Strollers, sleighs and other carriages. On the right side in the so-called "carts" sold old carts, harness, as well as other goods "simple needs for each household." In this part, and before the Lavra, the Nevskaya perspective did not look like a parade. By the end of the 18th century, the formation of the ensemble of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra was completed. In 1790, Trinity Cathedral was built according to the project of Ivan Starov. According to his designs, a round square was created in front of the entrance to the Lavra, bounded on the southern side by a curved stone fence, with the Gate Church in the center. The entrance to the square from the side of the avenue was designed by two two-story houses (now No. 179 and No. 190). 19th and early