The center of the grandiose ensemble of the Admiralty Avenue is the Admiralty building. The shining golden spire is topped with a caravel, that has become an original symbol of the city that is situated near the Baltic sea.
The foundation of the Admiralty as a shipyard happened in 1704. By 1706 the Admiralty turned into the fortress with five land bastions. In 1806-1823 according to the design of the architect Zakharov was built the third -- recent building. In the aspect of the Admiralty is very important the theme of the glory and the power of the Russian Navy.
The huge construction (the main façade is 407 metres wide) consists of two buildings in the form of the П—the internal and the external ones. In the centre of the main building there is a high tower with a spire on the top. Its basis is cut through by an arch and its center is surrounded by the colonnade. The height of the tower with the spire is 72 metres. An extremely important role in the appearance of the Admiralty is played by the monumental-decorative sculpture.
The construction of the ships in the Admiralty yard continued untill 1844. Afterwards only the institutions managing the fleet remained in the building.
During the Grate Patriotic War the spire was put under the slip-covers. The significant restauration works took place in 1928 and 1977,
