Drawbridge across the Neva River in St. Petersburg. The first wooden floating bridge connected the banks of the Neva near this place in 1786. In 1875-1879, a permanent crossing was built in the form of a five-span metal arched bridge with a sixth turning span, designed by A. E. Struve. In 1966-1967, the bridge underwent a global reconstruction with the replacement of supports, spans and a draw span with a vertical one, and later scheduled repairs were repeatedly carried out.
The first pontoon bridge was called Voskresensky along Voskresensky Prospekt, in the alignment of which it was located. The permanent bridge owes its name to the Foundry Yard, which was previously located on the left bank of the Neva River. In 1903, when the 200th anniversary of St. Petersburg was celebrated, Foundry bridge was renamed the bridge of Emperor Alexander II. But after the revolution of 1917, in the wake of the struggle against the legacy of tsarism, the name Liteiny was returned to the bridge.
The competition for the development of the bridge project was announced in 1871, it was won by the project English engineers Westminster. However, the Ministry of Railways criticized the English project, so the engineer A.E. Struve developed his own project, which formed the basis of the Liteiny Bridge, founded in 1875. The construction of the bridge was very difficult, in this place the Neva has a maximum depth, so the construction of the supports took a lot of time, money, and was accompanied by frequent human casualties. The bridge was completed only in 1879. The resulting bridge structure consisted of 6 spans: 5 permanent and one articulated swivel designed for the passage of ships.
Liteiny became the second permanent bridge across the Neva River (after Blagoveshchensky). With its construction, the entire Vyborg side, on the way from Russia to Sweden, received a solid connection with the rest of the city, and industrial areas - a reliable channel for transporting products.
During the construction of the Liteiny Bridge, many revolutionary engineering solutions were used: in the construction of supports (caissons), in the construction of spans and in the hinge mechanism. Also, this bridge became the world's first permanent bridge with electric lighting.
The decor of the bridge - cast-iron pillars and railing grilles - was made using highly artistic casting. In the center of the picture was a shield with the emblem of the city: a crossed scepter, sea and river anchors in the hands of two mermaids, whose tails are woven into a floral ornament, and sea animals are in the gaps of cast-iron columns.
In the middle of the 20th century, the Liteiny Bridge underwent a major reconstruction; for the convenience of the passage of massive ships, the drawbridge was moved closer to the center and the drawbridge was replaced with a rising one. In addition, the construction of the support piers and steel spans was strengthened, and granite slopes to the water were designed. At the same time, a valuable decorative grille was retained on the bridge, adding to it similar supports for lighting lanterns.
The bridge is 407.8 m long and 34 m wide.
Fencing of the Liteyny Bridge is included in the Unified State Register of Objects cultural heritage(monuments of history and culture) of Russia.
Note to tourists:
A visit to the Liteiny Bridge will be of interest to tourists interested in the architecture of the 19th-20th centuries, to everyone who wants to see the drawbridges of St. Guards of the Horse Artillery, the buildings of the Military Medical Academy and the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy.
Brief historical reference:
The Liteiny Bridge across the Neva is located in the alignment of Liteiny Prospekt and Akademika Lebedev Street. The name of the bridge comes from the Foundry Yard, founded on the left bank in 1711. In 1871, a competition was announced for which 17 projects were submitted. In 1874, engineer-colonel A.E. Struve and engineer-captain A.A. Weiss became the winner. The laying of the new bridge took place on August 30, 1875. Grand opening The bridge took place on September 30, 1879. All participants in the construction received awards, and Struve was awarded the rank of major general. The bridge was named Alexandrovsky in honor of Emperor Alexander II, but the name did not take root. Five spans of the Liteiny Bridge were covered with arched riveted metal spans, and the sixth draw span, located near the left bank, was covered with a swivel lattice metal truss. During wiring, it rotated on a vertical axis located on the first wide and massive river support. The layout of the bridge for the passage of ships was carried out using the simplest device - a gate, driven by the hands of eight workers. Over time, the gate was replaced by a 36 hp water turbine. with., fed from the city water supply. It was the only bridge with such a draw span system. The bridge was fenced with railings of two types. Forged metal, simple pattern, light and "transparent" were installed on the draw span, the rest of the length - heavy cast iron sections between the same cast-iron racks (designed by architect K. K. Rakhau). The elements of the railing were highly artistic casting. In the center of the section of the railing was a cartouche - a shield with the coat of arms of the city - a crossed scepter, sea and river anchors in the hands of two mermaids, whose tails are compositionally woven into a figured floral ornament in the form of spiral shoots. At the cast-iron columns, the gaps between the side planes are filled with fantastic marine animals, rapidly descending into the watery depths. When wiring, it rises at an angle of 67 degrees. The reconstruction changed the appearance of the bridge - a huge bull disappeared near the bank abutment, which served as the basis for the rotation of the adjustable part and introduced disharmony into the silhouette of the bridge. The railings that were on the bridge before the reconstruction were preserved, and for the draw span, the sections were cast from light alloy. At the same time, new lanterns were installed, in the design of which were used artistic features bridge fences. Under the bridge along the embankment there are walking paths with granite slopes to the water.
Status:
local monument of architecture
Attractions of the object:
An arched metal bridge across the Neva, built in 1879 instead of a pontoon bridge, connects the city center with the Vyborg side. Built according to the project of engineers A. Struve and A. Weiss. The bridge has 5 arched metal riveted trusses and one single-wing turnable draw span 55 meters long. The bridge is 396 meters long and 34 meters wide.
Basic mythological facts:
A long time ago, a warlike tribe lived on the banks of the Neva. They raided, killing and ruining their neighbors. Captured men were sacrificed on a huge boulder called Atakan. For many years, the blood of the victims washed over the granite stone. And one day, suffering, fear and blind worship did a miracle - the stone came to life. As they would say now: "a destructive egregor has formed." He began to demand more and more victims. All the tribes in the area were exterminated, but the stone needed more blood, and then the leaders began to choose victims from their tribe. Then the women prayed and turned to the Great River. They asked to save people from the cursed stone. Neva heard them and took pity on stupid people. started violent storm, it rained for many days, and nature was rampant, and when everything calmed down, people saw that the riverbed had changed, and the stone was at the bottom. The exact number of victims of the construction of the Liteiny Bridge has not been established, because not all bodies were found. According to various estimates, this number varies from 50 to 100 people. After the opening, the Liteiny Bridge gained a "bad" reputation among the residents. Suicides and murders were often committed on the bridge. People often go missing in the area. By the way, the river itself in this place has the greatest depth (about 25 meters) and a very complex and unpredictable flow. Perhaps that is why there was a belief about the Black Funnel, which suddenly appears near the bridge trusses and can "absorb" a passing boat or a small boat. Fiction or not, it is not known, but in 2002, the cargo ship Kaunas crashed into one of the pillars of the Foundry Bridge and sank.
1. Full name of the object (if the object was renamed, for example, street, then the original name). Foundry bridge
2. Historical events associated with the object (dates of construction, foundation). The laying of the new bridge took place on August 30, 1875. The grand opening of the bridge took place on September 30, 1879.
3. Location of the object (actual full address). Russia, St. Petersburg, Liteiny bridge
4. Description of the object ( a brief description of external features, author, date of construction, material of manufacture, dimensions, texts of inscriptions on the monument). an arched metal bridge across the Neva, built in 1879 instead of a pontoon bridge, connects the city center with the Vyborg side. Built according to the project of engineers A. Struve and A. Weiss. The bridge has 5 arched metal riveted trusses and one single-wing turnable draw span 55 meters long. The bridge is 396 meters long and 34 meters wide.
5. Sources of information about the object and events associated with it (bibliographic description of literary and archival materials). Antonov BI Bridges of St. Petersburg. - St. Petersburg: Verb, 2002.
Bunin, M. S. Bridges of Leningrad. Essays on the history and architecture of the bridges of St. Petersburg - Petrograd - Leningrad .. - L .: Stroyizdat, Leningrad. department, 1986. - 280 p.
Punin A.L. The Tale of the Leningrad Bridges. - L., Lenizdat, 1971.
6. Features object, the degree of uniqueness. the first bridge in St. Petersburg, which was illuminated by electric lights
7. The state of the object and the degree of preservation. Good condition
8. Protection of the monument (by whom and how it is protected). Local, Administration of St. Petersburg
9. Basic legend/myth A long time ago, a warlike tribe lived on the banks of the Neva. They raided, killing and ruining their neighbors. Captured men were sacrificed on a huge boulder called Atakan. For many years, the blood of the victims washed over the granite stone. And one day, suffering, fear and blind worship did a miracle - the stone came to life. As they would say now: "a destructive egregor has formed." He began to demand more and more victims. All the tribes in the area were exterminated, but the stone needed more blood, and then the leaders began to choose victims from their tribe. Then the women prayed and turned to the Great River. They asked to save people from the cursed stone. Neva heard them and took pity on stupid people. A strong storm began, it rained for many days, and nature was rampant, and when everything calmed down, people saw that the riverbed had changed, and the stone was at the bottom. The exact number of victims of the construction of the Liteiny Bridge has not been established, because not all bodies were found. According to various estimates, this number varies from 50 to 100 people. After the opening, the Liteiny Bridge gained a "bad" reputation among the residents. Suicides and murders were often committed on the bridge. People often go missing in the area. By the way, the river itself in this place has the greatest depth (about 25 meters) and a very complex and unpredictable flow. Perhaps that is why there was a belief about the Black Funnel, which suddenly appears near the bridge trusses and can "absorb" a passing boat or a small boat. Fiction or not, it is not known, but in 2002, the cargo ship Kaunas crashed into one of the pillars of the Foundry Bridge and sank.
The Liteiny Bridge is the second permanent bridge across the Neva (after Blagoveshchensky). Initially, the bridge was named after Emperor Alexander II.
In the 19th century, there was a floating bridge in this place on the Neva. But after the accident that happened on April 4, 1865, when a floating crossing was disrupted by a stormy ice drift, it was decided to build a permanent bridge. Construction was carried out from August 30, 1875 to September 30, 1879.
The design of the bridge consisted of five spans, which were covered by arched riveted metal spans, and a sixth pivoting draw span.
The draw span was covered with a swivel lattice metal truss. When deployed, it rotated on a vertical axis, located on the first wide and massive river support, located near the left bank. The asymmetric rotary span structure consisted of 8 trusses of the diagonal system, fastened together by transverse beams and diagonal braces; it was balanced above the abutment by a system of counterweights. The bridge was drawn manually - four, and then eight workers rotated the manual gate. Over time, the gate was replaced by a 36 hp water turbine powered by the city's water supply.
The Foundry Bridge was the first permanent bridge in the world to be lit by electricity. Shortly after the opening, electric lights with "candles" by P. N. Yablochkov were installed on it.
In 1964, in connection with the renewal of the Volga-Baltic route, there was a need to modernize the bridge. The project for the reconstruction of the Liteiny Bridge was developed at the Lengiprotransmost Institute by a team of engineers led by L. A. Vildgrube and architect Yu. I. Sinitsa. In 1966-1967 the bridge was reconstructed.
In 1967 the bridge was opened to traffic. The pivoting drawbridge was replaced with a drop-down one and moved to a deeper location. The railings of the bridge were retained, copies of the railings made of light alloy were cast for the draw span. New lanterns were installed, harmoniously combined with the fence of the crossing. Footpaths were laid under the bridge along the embankment and granite slopes to the Neva were equipped. It is in this form that the bridge can be seen today.
1. During the day, in a reduced state, the bridge does not attract much attention of citizens and tourists. If we do not take into account the active road traffic and regular traffic jams. 
2. But on summer nights, when the lights and the bridge are illuminated, people gather on the embankment, waiting for the wiring, drinking various drinks; someone fishes, and someone just watches the course of the Neva. 
3. Of the six bridge piers, the one closest to Liteiny Prospekt is the most voluminous. 
4. This support contains the control panel, engine room, counterweight and other technical rooms. 
5. Looks like an impregnable fort. 
6. The entrance to the interior is this horizontal hatch. 
7.
8. It gives the impression that you are on a submarine. 
9. The room from which the bridge is monitored and the drawbridge is controlled. On the frame - the chief mechanic - Zakharov Alexander Vyacheslavovich. They work here two people a shift, two after two. Above - 6 more people - security. 
10. Naturally, everything is computerized. 
11. Control panel. Above - video from surveillance cameras. 
12. 
13.
14. We go down and inspect the hydraulic poles. There are eight of them in total: four push the span up, and the other four pull it down. Because these efforts are different points span, the bridge assumes a position close to vertical. 
15. And this room is informally called "counterweight". This is where the counterweight is placed when the bridge span shoots up into the sky. 
16. There is a characteristic noise in the room - cars are passing above us. The lower part of the room is below the water level. 
17. Engine room. 
18. That very moment - after pressing this button, the bridge span will start moving. 
19. We go out to a small balcony, from where we will observe the breeding. The embankment is not very crowded: the bridges with two drawbridges attract the most attention. 
20. The bridge is still practically reduced, but the movement has already begun. 
21. Although from the side of Liteiny Prospekt it may seem that the bridge span rises to a completely vertical state, this is not so. The tilt angle is 67 degrees. 
22. As soon as the bridge is being drawn up, a very active movement begins on the Neva. The mass of tourist boats floats under fixed spans, to loud music and cheerful cries of the merry public. Some boats even pass under the moving span, which is a rather serious violation of the rules of navigation. 
23. This is how the part of the bridge adjacent to the Vyborg side looks like. Quite an unusual look. 
24. The raised span "stands" in this position for several hours. Drawbridge of the Foundry Bridge - THE HEAVEST IN THE WORLD- 3200 tons! 
25. 
26. One of the two supports on which the drawbridge rests when lowered. 
27. And here is one of the heroes of the occasion - a large cargo ship. 
28. Again we go down to the "counterweight". You can see not only the counterweight itself, but even a part of the bridge covered with asphalt with road markings. 
29.
30. To the question of what happens to the power wires. They just hang down. 
31. It is these railings, on the adjustable part, that are cast from aluminum, although outwardly they are practically indistinguishable from the rest - cast iron. 
32. 
33. There were cases when motorists, not noticing that the bridge was divorced, knocking down fences and driving on, crashed into a raised span. Naturally, such cases did not occur due to excessive sobriety of drivers. 
34. Everyone probably remembers about the sensational action of the Art Group "Voina", when a group of activists painted a phallus on the bridge. 
35. This most interesting excursion to the Liteiny Bridge was organized by
Liteiny Bridge became the second permanent bridge structure in St. Petersburg. The bridge, built on the site of the irregular Blagoveshchensk crossing, connected Liteiny Prospekt with the Vyborg side of the city. The construction of the object became a landmark event for the city on the Neva. During the construction, advanced engineering and technical ideas for those times were embodied.
For tourists, Liteiny Bridge is one of the iconic objects of St. Petersburg. The unique drawbridge design makes the bridge one of the most recognizable in the world. In addition, tourists will be interested in architectural features, history and the presence a large number attractions nearby.
The Annunciation crossing over the Neva arose even before the decision of Peter I to found St. Petersburg. The crossing operated only in winter time when the river was frozen in this place. Merchants who traveled from Novgorod to Vyborg used the move mainly.
In 1786, a floating bridge was built here from logs, which received the name Voskresensky. This crossing has served more than half a century. In 1849, the authorities of St. Petersburg decided to dismantle the Foundry Yard and use the vacated space as a continuation of Foundry Avenue. To move from this street to the Vyborg side, the Voskresensky bridge was used, which received a new name - Liteiny.
In the spring of 1865, a powerful ice drift passed on the Neva, which demolished the floating crossing. The life of the city was partially paralyzed. This event pushed the authorities of St. Petersburg to the final solution of the problem - the construction of a permanent bridge across the Neva. Discussions and agreements lasted four years. Finally, in 1869, the City Duma of St. Petersburg supported the idea of the authorities.
A special commission announced a project competition, for which Russian and foreign companies submitted 17 works. In 1872, the winner was named - a British architectural firm, which proposed a project for an arched bridge with two draw spans.
However, the British were not destined to start implementing their idea. The road ministry called the project chosen by the commission too expensive and unsafe. As a result, he was appointed new competition, in which engineers A.E. Struve and A.A. Weiss.
Struve and Weiss proposed a design with six permanent spans and a turning wing near the left bank of the Neva. A contract was concluded with the authors of the project, according to which the construction of the bridge was supposed to be completed in 4 years.
In 1875 the floating bridge was dismantled. The builders began to build the pillars of the new crossing, and it immediately became clear that they were waiting for this serious problems. The depth of the Neva in this place is 24 meters, and the bottom is heavily silted. The solution was found in the use of huge caisson foundations.
Unfortunately, the construction of the bridge was not without human casualties. In the autumn of 1876, one of the caissons suddenly sank, and water began to flow into it. The victims of the accident were 5 people. The second accident was even more tragic in terms of the number of deaths: in 1877, one of the caissons exploded and sank, killing 29 bridge builders as a result.
The accidents required additional funding, but on the terms of work, in general, they did not affect much. In 1879 the bridge was opened. It was given the name "Alexander" - by the name of the then ruling Tsar Alexander II. Bridge builders were awarded and promoted.
The turning part of the bridge was set in motion with the help of a special gate, which was rotated by eight workers. Later, this outdated system was replaced with a water turbine, which opened the bridge for ships to pass in 20 minutes.
The foundry bridge is distinguished by its unique cast gratings, which were made by the famous architect K. Rachau. On each span of the lattice there is a bas-relief made of cast iron: two mermaids hold a shield in their hands, on which the coat of arms of St. Petersburg is depicted. There are 546 art sections in the enclosure. There is no lattice on the drawbridge span.
The Alexander Bridge cost the state 5.1 million rubles. - Colossal money for those times. Initially, the planned price was exceeded by 1.5 times. For the first time, steel was used for the manufacture of span structures of the bridge - earlier, cast iron was used for these purposes. In addition, the crossing became the first bridge structure in St. Petersburg, illuminated by electricity.
The historical name of the object - Liteiny Bridge - was returned after the revolution of 1917.
In the mid 60s. 20th century due to changing shipping conditions, it was decided to large-scale reconstruction Liteiny Bridge. The work was entrusted to Leningrad engineers. L. Wiltgrude became the leader of the group, the plan was developed by Yu. Sinitsa. On site, the construction was supervised by engineer Yu. Kozhukhovsky.
During the reconstruction, the pivoting wing was replaced with a permanent span, and a movable link was built in the central part of the bridge.
In addition, the bridge became partially pedestrian - sidewalks were equipped on both sides. From the side of Liteiny Prospekt, two modern highways led to the crossing.
Experts recognized the reconstruction of the Liteiny Bridge as exceptionally successful: the throughput capacity of the structure has increased significantly, the appearance of the crossing has become more harmonious.
Many tourists come to St. Petersburg to admire the drawing of bridges. This is a bewitching, amazing sight that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. The layout of the Foundry Bridge begins at the end of March and ends at the end of December. At 1.40 traffic on the bridge is completed, at 1.50 the lifting system is switched on. At 04:45 traffic on the bridge resumes.
Not far from the Liteiny Bridge are attractions such as the Big House on Liteiny, Novy Arsenal and Lenin Square.
Foundry bridge - famous bridge northern capital, which became the second permanent structure of this type. It connects Akademika Lebedev Street and Liteiny Prospekt. During the construction of this bridge in St. Petersburg, various technical innovations were used, for example, electricity was installed to illuminate the spans, and steel was chosen instead of cast iron for the manufacture of supporting structures.
From the history of the bridge
The bridge got its name from the name of the Foundry Yard, located on the left bank of the Neva. In honor of the celebration of the bicentenary of St. Petersburg, the bridge was renamed Alexandrovsky (1903) in honor of the Tsar. The bridge returned its original name only in 1917 after the revolution, when all the royal names were erased from the map of the city.
Before the founding of St. Petersburg, there was a crossing on the site of the Liteiny Bridge, which connected both banks of the Neva. In 1786, a floating Voskresensky bridge was erected, later it was called Petersburg and moved downstream.
Instead, another crossing appeared - it served for about 50 years. When the Foundry Yard was dismantled, and the eponymous avenue was extended to the Neva, a floating Voskresensky bridge was brought to it. After the construction of the permanent Liteiny Bridge, the temporary Voskresensky Bridge was dismantled.
Construction
The history of the Liteiny Bridge began in 1875 - on August 30, the first stone of today's structure was laid. The reason for the construction of a permanent bridge was the disruption of a floating type crossing by a stormy ice drift.
Construction lasted four years, as various difficulties constantly arose. The Neva in this place has the greatest depth - up to twenty-four meters, and at the bottom there is a layer of silty clay. The foundations for all supports were caissons, the dimensions of which exceeded the dimensions of all products previously used in Russia.
The grand opening of the bridge took place in 1879.
Description
The bridge structure is made up of six spans. Five of them are covered with riveted span structures of arched shape, the sixth one is a swivel drawbridge. Each span consisted of thirteen double-hinged arches. The abutments of the bridge are massive, made of monolithic rubble concrete and lined with granite.
The structure has two types of railings:
- For a draw span - forged metal with a regular pattern.
- Grilles with highly artistic casting, designed by the architect Carl Rachau. In the central part of each section there is a shield with a crown, on which you can see a crossed scepter, river and sea anchors - the coat of arms of St. Petersburg. The shield is held in the hands of mermaids, whose tails are twisted into a fancy ornament.
Wiring
Previously, the layout of the Foundry Bridge was provided by the so-called gate, which was set in motion by eight workers. Later, a water turbine was installed instead. The passage for ships opened in twenty minutes. It was the only bridge in St. Petersburg equipped with such a drawbridge system.
Today, the casting of the Liteiny Bridge is carried out daily. The wiring schedule is from 1:40 to 4:45 hours.
Reconstruction
In 1964, the reconstruction of the Volga-Baltic Canal was completed. As a result, it became necessary to provide convenient communication along the Neva. That is why the repair of the Liteiny Bridge began. During the performance of the work, the upper parts of the supports were redone, and new span structures made of metal were installed. The swing span, which was swivel, was replaced with a drop-down one and moved closer to the center.
The new Liteiny Bridge has become ten meters wider, the number of spans has reached six. The railings of five spans remained unchanged, and copies of the old railings made of light alloy were used for the adjustable one. New lanterns were also installed, the design of which corresponded to the pattern of the lattice of the Liteiny Bridge.
Paths for pedestrians are equipped under the bridge along the embankment, granite slopes to the river are arranged, two-level transport interchanges are built at the approaches to the crossing. They also removed the large bull from the drawbridge, making the bridge more beautiful.
Mystic of the Foundry Bridge
There are many stories and legends around the building, and the area where it is located is considered one of the most mysterious in the city. One of the legends tells about a sacred boulder at the bottom of the river. In ancient times, human sacrifices were made to him. The stone is said to attract new victims. During the construction of supports, people died - only about thirty people.
According to another legend, the bridge has a magical power that attracts suicides. The people call the bridge a werewolf. Statistics confirm that every year those who do not want to live anymore jump off the bridge. Tradition says that a ghost bridge used to stand at this place, opening a passage to Parallel Worlds. Everyone who was looking for death found this ghostly bridge and disappeared into the fog forever.
Foundry bridge for tourists
Due to its incredible beauty and aura of mystery, the bridge attracts crowds of tourists. They want to enjoy the impressive view of the building, which looks especially impressive during the white nights. In spite of everything, the flow of those wishing to take pictures on the Liteiny Bridge does not dry out.
