On 30 August 1756 Elizabeth signed a special Senate decree to found a company of the first national dramatic theatre. The only thing she asked for was that actors performed in Russian. Thus, in the end of the 18th century the Alexandrinsky Theatre appeared in Saint-Petersburg. Today it's Russian State Pushkin Academy Drama Theatre. Firstly the company placed in a small building built by a court architect Vincenzo Brenna. Soon the performances gained more popularity, and the hall failed to seat all the comers. A competition for the best project was announced in 1816. It was won by the architect Carlo di Giovanni Rossi. The place he chose for the theatre was called that time Hare Bog. It was forbidden to construct stone buildings there, since the soil was very boggy. But the architect made exact calculations and took the risk. Today this building is one of Petersburg's symbols. It's among monuments of world architecture and is protected by the UNESCO. Timofej Zudin visited the hall, backstage and the Theatre Museum.