Middle Trade Rows, Neo-Russian commercial structure in Tverskoy District, Russia.
Middle Trade Rows is a commercial building from the late 1800s located next to Red Square in Moscow, built in the Russian Revival style. It rises several stories and features stone facades covered with carved reliefs and decorative elements along its full length.
Architect Roman Klein designed the building between 1889 and 1893 on a site that had been used for Moscow trade for centuries. It was later listed as a federal cultural heritage site in Russia.
The stone facades are decorated with motifs borrowed from medieval Russian churches, even though the building was built for trade. This contrast becomes clear when you stand in front of it and look closely at the carved details along the upper levels.
The building sits on Red Square and can be reached on foot from several metro stations nearby. Daylight makes it much easier to read the carved details on the facade, especially on the upper sections.
Although it stands right next to the GUM department store, most visitors walk past without noticing it, as attention tends to go toward Red Square. Klein used a different stone-cutting technique here than at the neighboring GUM, giving the surfaces a noticeably rougher texture.
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