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The
Old
Merchant
Court
(Russian:
Старый
гостиный
двор)
in
Moscow
occupies
a
substantial
portion
of
Kitai-gorod,
as
the
old
merchant
district
is
known.
It
located
near
the
famous
Red
Square
about
few
hundred
metres.
Formerly
accommodating
both
shops
and
warehouses,
it
was
constructed
of
brick
in
the
1590s
and
underwent
significant
modifications
from
1638–41.[1]
As
the
Russian
capital
expanded
and
the
old
structure
became
overcrowded,
a
new
indoor
market
was
completed
nearby
in
1665.
The
Gostiny
Dvor
in
Moscow.
The
belfry
of
St.
Basil's
Cathedral
can
be
seen
in
the
background.
Giacomo
Quarenghi,
the
favored
architect
of
Catherine
the
Great,
in
1789
replaced
those
medieval
buildings
with
a
new
shopping
mall
designed
in
a
sober
Neoclassical
style
with
innumerable
Corinthian
columns
and
arcades.
Several
local
Moscow
architects
including
S.
Karin,
I.
Egotov
and
P.
Selihov
supervised
the
actual
construction.
The
first
phase
was
delayed
because
of
the
death
of
Catherine
the
Great
and
was
not
completed
until
1805.
Osip
Bove
made
some
modifications
to
adapt
to
the
slope
in
the
area
and
to
finish
following
Quarenghi's
original
plans
in
1830.
Subsequently,
Quarenghi's
structure
went
through
many
reconstructions.
After
the
Revolution
in
1923,
the
space
was
subdivided
into
offices
altering
the
original
design
significantly.
Recently
a
modern
glass
roof
in
1995
was
installed,
when
Gostiny
Dvor
was
being
converted
into
a
fashionable
exhibition
ground.
Nowadays,
the
edifice
is
used
as
the
setting
for
fashion
shows,
business
parties,
and
even
Viennese
balls.
Montserrat
Caballé
and
José
Carreras
were
among
those
who
performed
at
the
New
Year
parties
in
Gostiny
Dvor.
During
the
1995
renovations,
lots
of
archeological
work
was
done
on
the
site.
A
small
museum
was
established
to
exhibit
some
of
the
numerous
finds
which
include
the
contents
of
a
pantry
from
a
17th-century
merchant
home
that
had
been
destroyed
by
fire.
The
exhibit
hall
is
open
daily,
Monday
through
Saturday
from
11
a.m.
until
5
p.m.
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