Bolshoi Gostiny Dvor with its famous arcades runs along Nevsky for 230 metres. The length of the shopping centre’s perimeter stretches a whole block, more than a kilometre.
The stone Gostiny Dvor on Nevsky was built by order of Ekaterina Petrovna. She wanted it to be the largest trading premises in the entire Russian empire. And it has to be said she got her wish. The French architect Jean-Baptiste Michel Vallin de la Mothe built Gostiny Dvor according to early classicism. Construction took more than 20 years and finished in 1875. The building was specially turned a little from the red line of Nevsky Prospect this was done so crews and vehicles stopped right in front of the shops and did not obstruct the thoroughfare.
Within a few decades Gostiny Dvor became a shopping city with dozens of shops and storerooms. Almost all of the respected merchants of Saint Petersburg had shops in Gostiny Dvor. Sales went well and there were so many goods that there was not enough space in Gostiny Dvor left.
They traded everywhere. In all of the surrounding streets. And everyone came to buy, rich dignitaries, high society beauties and poor students. Visitors thought that everyday was a bazaar day for the whole region, with festive and fun animated trading.
Events of the early 20th Century affected Gostiny Dvor. During the 1917 revolution the display windows of the department store were boarded up. Many merchants thought, that the revolution and the Soviets would not last long. And hid there wealth right in the shops.
They say that in 1965 when the entrance hall to Gostiny Dvor metro station was built in the building some treasure was found, eight 12 kilogramme gold ingots. The metro station opened in 1967.
During the second world war Gostiny Dvor was regularly subject to German bombing. Recovery work started even before the war ended from plans by the architect Oleg Lyalin. He returned Vallin de la Mothe’s appearance to Gostiny Dvor.
File:Gostiny Dvor (Saint Petersburg)07 2011.jpg
https://goo.gl/6kEdRe
Author: Anirina https://goo.gl/K1DcuA
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.ru
The stone Gostiny Dvor on Nevsky was built by order of Ekaterina Petrovna. She wanted it to be the largest trading premises in the entire Russian empire. And it has to be said she got her wish. The French architect Jean-Baptiste Michel Vallin de la Mothe built Gostiny Dvor according to early classicism. Construction took more than 20 years and finished in 1875. The building was specially turned a little from the red line of Nevsky Prospect this was done so crews and vehicles stopped right in front of the shops and did not obstruct the thoroughfare.
Within a few decades Gostiny Dvor became a shopping city with dozens of shops and storerooms. Almost all of the respected merchants of Saint Petersburg had shops in Gostiny Dvor. Sales went well and there were so many goods that there was not enough space in Gostiny Dvor left.
They traded everywhere. In all of the surrounding streets. And everyone came to buy, rich dignitaries, high society beauties and poor students. Visitors thought that everyday was a bazaar day for the whole region, with festive and fun animated trading.
Events of the early 20th Century affected Gostiny Dvor. During the 1917 revolution the display windows of the department store were boarded up. Many merchants thought, that the revolution and the Soviets would not last long. And hid there wealth right in the shops.
They say that in 1965 when the entrance hall to Gostiny Dvor metro station was built in the building some treasure was found, eight 12 kilogramme gold ingots. The metro station opened in 1967.
During the second world war Gostiny Dvor was regularly subject to German bombing. Recovery work started even before the war ended from plans by the architect Oleg Lyalin. He returned Vallin de la Mothe’s appearance to Gostiny Dvor.
File:Gostiny Dvor (Saint Petersburg)07 2011.jpg
https://goo.gl/6kEdRe
Author: Anirina https://goo.gl/K1DcuA
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.ru