Palace bridge history briefly. Palace Bridge - a unique architectural structure

The Palace Bridge is located among the masterpieces of architecture, in the very heart of St. Petersburg and is a symbol of the city on the Neva. The spread wings of the Palace Bridge look spectacular against the backdrop of the water surface and the sights of the Northern capital. The building is included in the List of objects of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation.

How to get there

• The nearest metro station is Admiralteyskaya
• By ground transport, go to the stop "Palace Square", "Birzhevaya Square" or "Universitetskaya Embankment".

From the history

It is known that Peter the Great was opposed to the construction of bridges and taught the people to water, welcoming the movement along the Neva in boats. One of the boat transports was next to the Winter Palace.

For reference: The first crossing in St. Petersburg appeared only two years after the death of Peter, it was the floating St. Isaac's Bridge. It was built every spring from the building of the Senate and the Synod to the Menshikov Palace on Vasilyevsky Island and served the people of St. Petersburg until the freeze-up.

Going towards the Exchange Committee, in December 1856, according to the project of engineer I.K. Gerard, a floating crossing was built from Palace Passage to Birzhevaya Square on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, called the Palace Bridge.

In this case, three scaffolds from the old St. Isaac's crossing were used, on which cast-iron floor lamps with lanterns in the form of hexagonal pyramids were installed, as well as coastal supports and railings made of wood. At the time of ice drift and freeze-up, the structure was dismantled.

In 1896, the floating Palace Bridge was moved 53.1 meters downstream of the Neva due to the arrangement of a square in front of the western facade of the Winter Palace. A horse-drawn railway was laid at the crossing.

Construction of the permanent Palace Bridge

The need to build a permanent crossing arose as early as the 1880s, but then the City Government did not dare to start such a large and expensive undertaking. In the spring of 1899, the old boats, which had served for more than 40 years, began to leak and sank, which accelerated the decision to build.

In April 1901, a design competition was announced. 27 works were submitted to the commission, including 13 draft designs created by the architects of St. Petersburg, but none of the works was approved.

The only project that was positively evaluated was carried out by the French company Batignolles, but the designers asked for about 5 million rubles for it. The commission did not conclude a contract for such an expensive work and announced the second round of the competition, and new conditions were indicated in the Terms of Reference:

• The drawbridge must be located in the center of the structure, and its width must be at least 42.67 meters
• The bridge should correspond to the "beauty of the nearby buildings"
• Regarding the constructive solution, it was indicated that the ride should be "on top".

The participants of the second round included many famous Russian architects and engineers, including Andrey Pshenitsky and Leonty Benois, Robert Meltzer and Marian Peretyatkovich. The winner of the competition, which ended in 1909, was the project of the architect Andrey Pshenitsky, and the design of the building was entrusted to the architect and artist Robert Meltzer.

On February 5, 1911, an agreement was concluded with the Society of Kolomna Plants, according to which construction was to be carried out using only domestic materials, by Russian workers and engineers only, and be completed by November 15, 1913.

The Palace Bridge was the most difficult from an engineering point of view. Its construction began in October 1911, however, it was not possible to complete the bridge on time. This was prevented by a flood that damaged one of the pillars under construction, as well as the outbreak of the First World War, which took a lot of money.

Only at the end of 1916 were all engineering structures ready. Their strength was tested with the help of 34 trucks filled with a load of 600 pounds each. By this time, only temporary wooden railings and wooden decking had been installed, and the decoration had not yet been completed. Despite this, on December 23, the Palace Bridge was opened.

The event was quite modest, since there was a war, and a week before that, Grigory Rasputin was killed. Of all the invited guests, only a tenth came to the opening; neither the royal family nor the head of the city were present.

The length of the structure was 260.1 meters, width - 27.75 meters, the mass of metal span structures - 4,868 tons, counterweights - 2,800 tons.

Despite all the efforts of the authors of the project, they failed to achieve complete harmony. The Palace Bridge closes the buildings of the Stock Exchange and the Zoological Museum, the Admiralty and the tower of the Kunstkamera. But only an experienced architect will be able to see some dissonance in the layout of the structure and the surrounding buildings. It was impossible to avoid this, given the low banks of the Neva and the condition of creating a high span for ships.

During its history, the Palace Bridge changed its name once: from 1917 to 1944 it was called Republican.

In 1939, the wooden railings were replaced with cast iron ones with a simple design depicting Soviet symbols - the coat of arms and banners, bunches of ears and five-pointed stars. The authors of this work are sculptor Igor Krestovsky and architect Lev Noskov.

In 1967, the crossing was overhauled, and 10 years later the structure was reconstructed, during which the adjustable mechanism and flooring were replaced, and new lights were installed.

In 1997, under the guidance of engineer Yuri Petrov, the Palace Bridge was renovated. On November 13 of the same year, a solemn opening ceremony took place, during which fireworks were arranged on the embankment. A cannon volley from the Peter and Paul Fortress announced the holiday, and at that time couples in ancient costumes were dancing on the bridge. The Palace Bridge became the third bridge to be decorated with illumination, after Troitsky and Lieutenant Schmidt.

The last reconstruction took place in 2013, and the movement of vehicles and pedestrians did not stop completely during the replacement of structures that had become unusable.

Main characteristics

• Length - 250 meters
• Width - 27.73 meters
• The width of the sidewalks is 2.82 meters, the width of the carriageway is 21.97 meters
• Number of spans - 5, draw span is in the center
• The height of the arch above the water is 6.3 meters, with spread wings - 30 meters
• The number of lanes for traffic -6.

The Palace Bridge is located in the very center of St. Petersburg, next to the square, where festive events are often held. During some of them, the wings of the bridge are used as a screen for showing films.

The Palace Bridge is a unique architectural structure created many years ago. To this day it is one of the majestic bridges in St. Petersburg. How it was created, what events preceded its appearance, we will learn all this by going on a time machine through the pages of history.

Walking along the Neva embankment, you can see a unique architectural structure - the Palace Bridge. Even at a glance, the bridge surprises with its beauty and grandeur. In the old days, a boat transport was located on the site of the bridge. In 1850, a great event took place in the life of St. Petersburg, the Annunciation Bridge was built. This fact caused the Exchange Committee to write a letter to Nicholas the First. It set out a request to transfer St. Isaac's Bridge to the Winter Palace. In 1853, the request was granted, all construction work was carried out according to the project of Ivan Kondratievich Gerard. The construction of the new bridge was completed on December 10, 1856. The crossing began to bear the name - Palace Bridge.

bridge construction

In 1880, there was a great need for a permanent crossing between the Admiralteyskaya and Universitetskaya embankments. However, a collective letter to the city council was written only in 1882. The request to build a permanent crossing was denied.

In 1896, a picturesque square was created near the western facade of the Winter Palace. Therefore, it was decided to move the Palace Bridge 53.25 meters down the Neva. Construction work was carried out from 1896 to 1897. At the same time, a horse-drawn railway appeared at the crossing.

By the spring of 1859, the pontoons of the Palace Bridge sank due to their unsuitability. This incident gave impetus to the decision to build a permanent Annunciation Bridge. But only in 1900 it was decided to replace the temporary bridge and build a permanent crossing. In the summer of the same year, a special commission was instructed to develop and design a project for a permanent bridge across the Neva. It is worth noting that it was this commission that supervised the construction of the Trinity Bridge.

In 1901, a competition was announced for the construction of the Palace Bridge. In total, 27 works were sent, of which 13 projects were the creation of St. Petersburg authors. The City Duma carefully studied all the proposed projects, but, unfortunately, none of them was approved. But also, the projects were considered by the competition commission, their opinions practically agreed with the City Duma, with the exception of one project. This "lucky one" turned out to be a Batignolles project. It was decided to buy out the rights to this project in full, but the company flatly abandoned this idea. They offered to draw up and sign a contract for the construction of a permanent bridge. According to the estimate, the total amount of the contract would be 4,700,000 rubles. In turn, the commission did not like this idea, and it was decided to hold the second round of the competition.

After the end of the first round, it was decided to slightly change the conditions of the competition. Now, it was required to draw up a project, taking into account the fact that the drawbridge span would not be located near the coast, but along the central part of the channel.

Only domestic enterprises took part in the second round. At the end of the tour, the projects were checked by a special commission. In their opinion, all participants of the competition coped with the technical task.

In 1911, on February 5, an agreement was signed on the construction of the Blagoveshchensky Bridge as a permanent crossing. According to the results of two rounds, the Society of Kolomna Plants won. According to the contract, they were obliged to hand over the finished crossing on November 15, 1913. Also, one of the clauses of the contract stated that only domestic materials and labor should be used in the construction.

Despite the fact that the contract was officially concluded, there was no final plan for the construction of the bridge. The author of the initial project from the company "Society of Kolomna Plants" was Andrey Pavlovich Pshenitsky. The idea of ​​the project was to build a six-span bridge, but, unfortunately, it was rejected by architects and bridge builders, since the crossing did not have own design, and Andrey Pshenitsky suggested completely copying the design of the Trinity Bridge. There was also a project, the purpose of which was to build 28-meter towers with lifting mechanisms at the crossing. But such an idea was immediately stopped by the Academy of Arts.

In addition to Andrei Pshenitsky, Leonty Benois, Marian Peretyatkovich and Robert Meltzer also took part in the design of the bridge. According to engineers and bridge builders, the permanent Blagoveshchensky Bridge was the most difficult in terms of engineering, of all the crossings located on the territory of St. Petersburg.

The construction of the bridge began in 1912. In 1914, on April 17, there was a severe flood, one of the pillars of the crossing was completely destroyed. This fact slowed down the construction of the bridge, because it took time and effort to create a new support. In addition, there was a problem in the supply of metal structures. It was all due to the First World War. There was also a gradual shortage of manpower. As a result, all the deadlines for the delivery of the crossing were disrupted.

new bridge

Before putting the bridge into operation, it was necessary to check its strength. In 1916, on December 17, a special commission conducted test work. For this, 34 entered the crossing trucks with a total weight of 20,000 pounds. The bridge successfully passed the test, and the commission gave the green light to the opening of the bridge. On December 23, the crossing was opened to traffic. But, nevertheless, the construction of the bridge was not completed on this, because the crossing was actually without decoration. At the time of the opening of the bridge, temporary railings and decking were used.

The opening of the bridge was not as solemn as planned. The war was to blame for everything, besides, Grigory Rasputin had been killed a week before. The royal family attended the opening ceremony. Of all the invited guests, only a few came. Also, the head of the city himself was not at the event, for his place, his deputy cut the symbolic ribbon.

In appearance, the crossing turned out to be majestic. The total length was 260.1 meters, with a width of 27.75 meters. The weight of the bridge also inspired respect, the metal structure weighed 4,868 tons. The adjustable mechanism was thought out by the best engineers of that time. The Palace Bridge has become another symbol and decoration of majestic St. Petersburg.

In 1918, on the anniversary of the October Revolution, the city authorities decided to rename the crossing. So the Republican Bridge entered the life of the city. With this name, the crossing passed through the pages of the history of the city until 1952. It was in that year that the Palace Bridge reappeared.

In 1939, it was decided to replace the bridge's wooden railings with cast iron ones. Symbols such as five-pointed stars, ears of corn, coat of arms and banners were used as decor. The author of the design of the crossing was Igor Krestovsky, one of the best sculptors of that time. And all the architectural work was led by Lev Noskov.

In 1967, it was decided to overhaul bridge. And in 1977, during the reconstruction of the bridge, the flooring and the draw mechanism were completely replaced. It was also decided to install decorative lights around the entire perimeter of the bridge.

In 1997, the Palace Bridge was completely renovated. All construction work was carried out under the direction of Yuri Petrov. A solemn event on the occasion of the opening of the renovated crossing took place on November 13, 1997. It all started with a cannon salvo from the Peter and Paul Fortress. Then a colorful performance began on the bridge. Ladies in magnificent ball gowns, gentlemen in camisoles whirled in a slow dance. Instrumental music wafted from the banks. At the end of the celebration, a grandiose fireworks display was arranged over the Palace Bridge.

After the renovation, the bridge acquired night illumination. Therefore, many tourists and residents of the city like to walk along the embankment at dusk. At this time of day, the Palace Bridge takes on a different life, thanks to the flickering of numerous lights.

In 2013, a minor reconstruction of the crossing was made. During which some parts of the mechanism were replaced.

Today, the Palace Bridge remains one of the main symbols of the city. It continues to serve the city and its inhabitants with its beauty and grandeur. According to many tourists and local residents, the drawing of the Palace Bridge is one of the most breathtaking spectacles in St. Petersburg.

The Palace Bridge can rightly be called the most romantic in all of St. Petersburg. Hundreds of tourists from all over the world come to see its enchanting breeding every year. Even sophisticated residents of the northern capital often come to see this truly excellent performance.

Historical reference

Long before the appearance of the Palace Bridge, in its place there was a boat transportation across the Neva. In 1882, residents of the city and heads of public organizations appealed to the City Council with a demand to build a permanent bridge, but then the local authorities did not take into account the desire of the townspeople and shelved this issue.

After almost 20 years, in 1900, the local authorities nevertheless took up the issue of building a bridge and decided to announce a competition for civil engineers and architects. The competition was announced only a year later, the commission considered more than 25 applications, but the City Duma considered them unsuitable. Then a second competition had to be announced, according to the results of which, in 1909, the Polish civil engineer Andrei Pshenitsky undertook to build a new Palace Bridge. It was planned to complete the construction in the fall of 1913, but the First World War destroyed this plan and only on December 23, 1916 the first carriage passed through the bridge.

Despite the beauty and grandeur of the Palace Bridge, there are a number of facts that few people know:

• engineer A.P. Pshenitsky made a mistake in the design - the divorced bridge looks inharmonious in the general panorama of the city, covers the city's historical and cultural monuments - the Zoological Museum, the Kunstkamera, the Admiralty;

• in 1997, the bridge was decorated with night illuminations, which fascinates residents and guests of the city with its beauty in the dark;

• during festive events, film festivals, the drawbridges of the bridge serve as a screen for cinema projection.

Description of the bridge

Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the bridge was reconstructed several times, capital repairs were carried out on it. repair work. Today, a cast-iron drawbridge serves as a connection between Vasilyevsky Island and the central city attractions - the Admiralty and the Winter Palace.

The giant structure consists of 5 spans and impresses with its size: the total length is 260.1 meters, the width is 27.7 meters. A unique adjustable mechanism raises the 700-ton spans up over the Neva. The night panorama of the raised bridge against the background of the bell tower of the Peter and Paul Fortress is the hallmark of St. Petersburg.

One of the main attractions of St. Petersburg is the Palace Bridge. It connects the center of St. Petersburg and Vasilyevsky Island and is movable. The bridge got its name from the nearby Palace Embankment and the nearby Winter Palace. The structure was thrown across the Bolshaya Neva River.

Historical reference

Initially, the Palace Bridge in St. Petersburg was a pontoon bridge (floating, based on flat-bottomed ships). In 1882, many organizations and homeowners turned to the authorities with a request to build a permanent bridge instead of a pontoon bridge. But the construction competition was announced only at the beginning of the twentieth century. According to its conditions, the work was to be carried out by Russian workers from domestic materials.

In addition, the nature of the decor was important. It was supposed to reflect the peculiarities of Russian architecture and become a monument that reproduces nobility and courage. The fight for the contract lasted ten years. As a result, in 1911, an agreement was signed with the Kolomna Plants. The opening of the bridge took place in 1916, and the design was completed only after the 1917 revolution.

Reconstruction

During its existence, the Palace Bridge has been repeatedly reconstructed. So, in 1939, wooden railings were replaced by cast-iron railings with a pattern depicting the coat of arms and banners, five-pointed stars and bunches of ears, that is, Soviet symbols. In 1967, a major overhaul was carried out, and ten years later, the flooring and the adjustable mechanism were replaced on the bridge, and new lights were installed.

In 1997, the Palace Bridge was again updated, it was illuminated. The last reconstruction took place in 2013, while the movement during the repair did not completely stop.

Peculiarities

The Palace Bridge has five spans. The middle span is crowned with a three-hinged arch, and the other spans are crowned with two continuous structures equipped with through trusses. Each wing has a system of counterweights, which are hinged to the bottom of the span.

When constructing sidewalks and the roadway, metal flooring was used, and a concrete layer was laid on top. On stationary spans, the fence is granite, on the draw span - metal. Cast iron railings are made with artistic casting. Granite parapets crown them on the bridge piers. Sixteen pillars are installed for lighting and are made with architectural decor. Descent with lions at the palace bridge – one of the most famous sights of the building.

bridge layout

The draw mechanism of the Palace Bridge consists of large gears, counterweights and several motors. The mechanism works stably and reliably, but sometimes unpleasant incidents occur. For example, in October 2002, one of the teeth on the gear broke, as a result of which the opening of the Palace Bridge was stopped. By 2008, the structure had exhausted its resource, but major repairs were postponed until the construction of a new bridge. In 2009, the divorce was delayed due to a breakdown of the adjustable mechanism. The reason was the wear of the metal - the last time the structure was repaired back in the seventies of the twentieth century.

The Palace Bridge is drawn twice a day. Divorce time is from 01:25 to 02:50 and from 03:10 to 04:55. The divorce schedule was set in 2011.

Palace bridge for tourists

Today, thousands of people cross the bridge. Tourists come here to take pictures against the backdrop of the famous Peter and Paul Fortress or the Hermitage. Many people ask the address of the Palace Bridge and how to get to it. There are several options. From the metro station Admiralteyskaya you need to turn left, walk to the crossroads, and then right to Nevsky Prospekt and left again. From the metro station Nevsky Prospekt, you will have to walk to Palace Square and then to the bridge. Leaving the metro station at Vasileostrovskaya station, turn right and go to the Makarov Embankment along Sredny Prospekt, and then right to the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island. From there you will reach the Palace Bridge.

At night, the bridge looks especially impressive. By the time of its wiring, tourists gather here who want to look at this amazing sight. Illumination makes the view of the bridge the most advantageous from two angles at once. If you stand in front of the Hermitage, you can see the tower of the Kunstkamera perfectly well through the rising spans. And if you look from the side of the Admiralty, the bell tower of the Peter and Paul Fortress will be visible in the distance.

From Art. metro station Admiralteyskaya. When exiting the metro, turn left, go to the crossroads, then right along the street. Small sea. To Nevsky Prospekt, and to the left. Along Nevsky Prospekt to Palace Square. Further to the Palace Bridge. The entire route on foot is approximately 9 minutes.

From Art. metro Nevsky prospect, exit to the Griboyedov Canal. Turn right when exiting the subway. Move along Nevsky Prospekt to Palace Square and then to the Palace Bridge. Approximately 20 min walk.

From Art. metro Vasileostrovskaya. When exiting the metro, turn right and move along Sredny Prospekt to emb. Makarov. Then to the right to the Spit of Vasilievsky Island. Further to the Palace Bridge. Approximately 26 min walk.

Description

Palace Bridge - the main bridge across the Neva River in the center of St. Petersburg. It is one of the drawbridges of the city connecting Vasilevsky and Admiralteysky Islands.

The length of the bridge is about 250 m. The width is about 28 m. Thousands of tourists come to see this bridge every year during the navigation period.

It is one of the symbols of St. Petersburg. It was built by the architect Andrey Pavlovich Pshenitsky. Opened in 1916.