The northern capital of our country - magnificent St. Petersburg - has always been famous for its architectural monuments, magnificent palaces, beautiful fountains and, of course, unique bridges. Thousands of tourists visit this city every year to see for themselves the splendor described by the classics of literature.
The Palace Bridge in St. Petersburg connects the city center with Vasilyevsky Island. This is the attraction of the city, which is always visited by tourists. For many years, the divorced Palace Bridge on the background of the Peter and Paul Fortress is a visiting card of the northern capital.
A bit of history
In the 1880s, public organizations appealed to the local authorities of St. Petersburg to replace the obsolete Palace bridge bridge. At that time, the city government did not immediately deal with this issue. However, when in 1898 the ploughshirts of this bridge sank - there was no choice. It was necessary to begin construction.
In the nineteen first year, a competition was announced for the best project. As a result, the City Duma had to consider twenty-seven options. None of them have been approved. Therefore, the next year it was decided to repeat the competition. This time the best project was chosen - it was the work of A.P. Pshenitsky. Despite this, only in nineteen eleven the contract was signed with Kolomenskiye Zavody for the construction of the bridge. Work began a year later. The palace bridge in St. Petersburg was commissioned in 1916. It was named after the Winter Palace. It should be noted that it was commissioned without finishing. There were only temporary wooden fences and railings, which were replaced already in Soviet times, in 1939.
Lanterns, flooring, railings, which can be seen today, were installed in 1970. Since 1918, the bridge was called the Republican. However, in 1944, in the most difficult time, he was returned to his former name.
Clearance plans
Initially, the Palace Bridge in St. Petersburg was conceived as a work of high artistic level, which was to combine the artistic ensembles of two different islands into one complex. The first design of the bridge included a railing with a complex pattern, eight lanterns with decorative forging, four lighthouse lighthouses, as well as sculptural groups. As you know, such a project was not approved by the authorities. It was decided to use a more economical option. But it was not implemented. The war began, and the bridge was opened unfinished.
Bridge construction
This is a complex structure consisting of five spans. The central one is getting divorced. It is covered with a three-hinged arch. The rest are equipped with through farms. The bridge is divorced thanks to the wings of the central span, having counterweights. The drawbridge mechanism of the bridge has multi-ton counterweights (2800 tons), large gears - some of them work from the moment the bridge was opened, motors.
Each span that rises weighs about seven hundred tons. The supports are lowered into the water for 25 meters. The Palace Bridge in St. Petersburg has a length of 250 meters, its carriageway is 28 meters.
Project Errors
Today, experts believe that the experienced engineer A.P. Pshenitsky made an obvious miscalculation in the design. The bridge is half-closed by such significant historical monuments as the Zoological Museum, Admiralty, Strelka Vasilievsky Island, Kunstkamera. Many experts believe that the 2014 Palace Bridge does not look harmonious with the panorama of the modern city. Only the wings of the bridge are impressive when it is divorced at night.
Design Advantages
Despite the heaviness and a certain pomp of the structure, A.P. Pshenitsky managed to achieve a striking effect - the bridge seemed to spread along the water. Created much later decorative lighting made it more spectacular and modern. The Palace Bridge is included in the register of cultural and historical monuments of Russia.
Palace Bridge Divorce
Today it is one of the most visited attractions of the magnificent city. Thousands of tourists rush here to take pictures on the background of the Peter and Paul Fortress or the Hermitage. Here you can often hear a question in different languages regarding what time the Palace Bridge is being bred.
The main action takes place at night. The divorce of the Palace Bridge begins at 1 hour 25 minutes Moscow time. At this point, dozens of boats and small boats are gathering here with tourists who want to see this bewitching procedure. At this time, the Neva is always crowded. But after ten minutes (1 hour 35 minutes), river protection boats disperse all spectators along small rivers and canals. Indeed, it was at this time that the movement of large bulk carriers along the main fairway began. At 4 hours 55 minutes, traffic on the bridge resumes.
Does the bridge need reconstruction
According to Mostotrest, by two thousand and eight, the Palace Bridge began to require major repairs. Despite this, its reconstruction was postponed until the construction of a new bridge over Sulfur Island. On September 27, two thousand and nine, the nightly bridge draw was delayed for fifty minutes due to a breakdown of the drawer. This happened due to "metal fatigue" - the last time the bridge was repaired in the seventies.
Travel Tips
In 1997, the bridge was equipped with excellent lighting, so all your photos will be very spectacular. If you stand in front of the Hermitage Museum, then in the span of the divorced bridge you will see the Kunstkamera. And if you stand at the Admiralty, then in the distance you will see the bell tower of the Peter and Paul Fortress.
How to get there
You should go to the Vasileostrovskaya station, go along the Andreevsky Boulevard to the Neva. Then turn left and walk along Universitetskaya Embankment.
It is easier to get from Nevsky Prospect or Gostiny Dvor metro stations. We should move in the direction of reducing the numbering of houses. Since October 2012, traffic on the bridge has been blocked due to major repairs.
If you happen to visit the northern capital, do not forget to include the Palace Bridge in the schedule of your excursions.