The Gostiny Dvor in Moscow, built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was the largest trading building of its time. Its arcades, adorned with half-columns of the Ionic order, created an impression of infinity and inspired architects in other cities of Russia.

In 1789, architect Giacomo Quarenghi from St. Petersburg developed the design for the Gostiny Dvor and sent it to Moscow. He assumed that the land for construction was flat, but the site between Ilyinka and Varvarka turned out to be on a slope. Because of this, the project had to be adapted: architects S. A. Karin and I. A. Selekhov, who oversaw the construction in 1791 and 1805, divided the building into two parts, the upper one on Ilyinka and the lower one on Varvarka. A step was formed between them, and to maintain Quarenghi's architectural style, a high plinth and reduced columns had to be used.

In 1812, the building was damaged in the Moscow fire. The second phase of construction, which involved O. I. Bove, was completed by 1830. The risalits in the alleys connected both parts of the building. However, shop owners altered its appearance by bricking up the arches to increase trading space. In 1840, the Gostiny Dvor became "Old" when a new one was built nearby. In 1903, architect K. K. Gippius reconstructed the risalit in Crystal Alley for the Moscow Accounting Bank, adding a neoclassical facade with mosaics. The gallery on the second floor along Fish Alley resembles ancient Roman architecture.

In the 2000s, the building, despite its status as a cultural heritage site, underwent reconstruction. The section on Varvarka was raised, and the inner courtyard was covered with a transparent roof. As a result, the Gostiny Dvor acquired features of modern architecture, becoming too tall and bulky for the Kitai-Gorod area near the Kremlin.