Singer House

This ornate early-twentieth-century commercial building on Nevsky Prospekt was built as the Russian headquarters of the Singer sewing-machine company and is a landmark of the Art Nouveau style in the city. Its bronze-and-glass facade is crowned by a glass tower topped with a globe held by figures, an early use of a metal frame and rooftop advertising. For much of the Soviet era it housed the famous Dom Knigi bookshop, which still occupies the lower floors.