In the center of old Moscow is a square, and in the northern part of the square stands the fabulous Bolshoi Theatre. With a monumental colonnade and quartet of bronze horses on its pediment, the Bolshoi has become one of the symbols of Moscow. Built in 1820-1824 C.E. to the design of architects Alexander Mikhailov and Osip Beauvais, it is one of the finest theatre buildings in the world, a monumental work of 19th-century Russian neoclassicism. In 1855-1856 C.E., after a fire, it was in great part rebuilt by the architect Albert Kavos, who preserved its original general layout but increased the height of the building, added a third story, and put up a gallery supported by iron columns on either side of the building. The five-tiered auditorium is famous for its excellent acoustics and rich ornamentation. Quite a few outstanding artists have performed on the stage of the Bolshoi, most notably the Bolshoi Ballet.