Exterior view

Starov’s first major construction project entered the planning stages in 1776. The Cathedral of the Trinity was built as the main church for the Alexander Nevsky Monastery founded by Peter I, as a mausoleum for that monarch. Starov emphasized the western fa�ade through a Doric gabled portico and two bell towers. By graduating the heights of the building’s various components, Starov reduced the dominance of the dome. The design of the square at the main entrance to the complex was also significant in terms of urban planning: it is here that the 4,5-km-long Nevsky Prospekt, the city’s main thoroughfare, ends.