During the time of the Russian Empire, "St. Petersburg piers" from the Oka side were added to the piers on the Volga shore. A new stage in the development of the river port on the Spit was the transfer of the fair from Makariev in 1817. Since then, the freight turnover of waterways has become more than 70 million poods (31 million kilograms). In 1880, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built on the Spit. Also it was called "New Fair". During the All-Russia Exhibition in 1896, there were built guest houses and exhibition pavilions. Also, the first tram was opened, connecting the city with the fair. This event completely transformed Strelka, making it one of the busiest places in Kanavinskaya Sloboda, which was not yet part of Nizhny Novgorod.