Ask the native Kaluga, where is the Stone Bridge? Kaluga address is known: st. Bazhenova - st. Pushkin, stop "Stone Bridge" on buses No. 2, 3; on trolleybuses No. 1, 2, 3 and minibus No. 1. This is not surprising. With an abundance of exquisite old charming mansions in the center, it stands out as the one and only.
Stone bridge in Kaluga: history
The chief architect of the city P.R. Nikitin built Kaluga, like many other cities (Tver, Torzhok, Kozelsk, Maloyaroslavets) according to a regular plan: a center from which radial and ring streets depart. Everything was spoiled by a deep and long ravine in the very center with a stream flowing along it. Pyotr Romanovich Nikitin drew attention to his problems the attention of the Kaluga governor Mikhail Nikitich Krechetnikov. He, in turn, turned to the great Empress Catherine. She approved the expensive construction. It was such a long way that Kaluga received it. The photo shows the Stone Bridge in its modern form, during the restoration process, which took place in 2009-2010 and cost 680 million rubles.
But why did the city planner come up with such a strange idea - to build a semblance of Roman bridges in central Russia? He was familiar with the aqueducts of Claudius and Alexander Severus, as well as the
aqueduct of Emperor Valent in Constantinople. The similarity is undoubted. In Kaluga, the legend of N.V. Gogol. The writer learned about him from his friend, the Kaluga governor
A.O. Smirnova-Rosset and inserted it in the description of Manilov’s dreams of a bridge with benches on it. N. Gogol saw this bridge later when he was visiting in Kaluga.
Ancient Roman designs
It is not like any of the structures in Kaluga. In Moscow, the Sverdlovsk region and in some other places you can find analogues, but this engineering work of art falls into the soul immediately. This is not a simple bridge, but a viaduct built in 1777-1780. The architect embodied the fantasies of DB Piranesi, who admired the civilization of ancient Rome. In non-chernozem Russia stands Kaluga. A stone bridge is laid over a huge and deep ravine typical of these places. A Berezuysky stream once flowed along its bottom. From it even the holy spring beat. This place is in the very center of the city, so a bridge was absolutely necessary. But who could imagine that it would make a viaduct consisting of two tiers? Certainly not Kaluga residents. And could the townspeople have imagined in the 18th century what a landmark of Kaluga — the Stone Bridge — would receive. Only by going through it, you will begin to understand what grandiose dreams that era had.
What is a viaduct?
What was so unusual about Kaluga? The stone bridge is very high, unusually long and, we emphasize, expensive. The Romans did not spare funds for the construction. Even if they built, then even the smallest trifle has served for centuries. They did not count money, taking funds from the inhabitants of the conquered lands. So they got wide bridges on high and powerful supports. In the pure form of viaducts, they did not build, but installed aquaviaducts - water supply and the road at the same time from stone or brick. Europe remembered them in the 19th century, when the industrial revolution began, and it took roads for trains. Making a detour around a mountain gorge was immeasurably more expensive than building a viaduct. In the photo below, the viaduct in Marseille (construction of 1841). Only two bridges in Europe in antiquity are inferior to Kaluga. The stone viaduct bridge in France was built in the 16th century and in Grodno in the 17th century.
What does the Kaluga bridge look like?
This is an impressive building. One and a half million bricks went to its construction! This was accurately calculated in the 18th century.
In XXI, they cannot even accurately measure its length. According to various estimates, it ranges from one hundred eight to one hundred and sixty meters. But at least the arches were counted — there are 15. There are three in the very center — two-story ones. Their height is twenty-three meters. After repair, the foundation was strengthened and strengthened. Relocated 9 out of 12 supports. The width of the bridge is fourteen meters.
Viewing view
When the bridge was built, shopping malls grew on its sides and overlooked the right bank of the Oka, the Noble Assembly and the bell tower of the Trinity Cathedral. It is visible today. In 1912, wooden flooring was replaced on the bridge, as the old one was already very dilapidated. In 1975, they examined the bridge and declared it unsuitable for use. Repair money, however, was not allocated. Conducted another examination and allowed the movement of vehicles and pedestrians. But in fact, his support has already covered the ground by three and a half meters.
Only in the XXI century, major repairs were carried out, and the Stone Bridge stands like new. There is still a clearing and improvement of the ravine, "revitalization" of the Berezui stream, the creation of a descent into the ravine. There, according to the plan, a recreation area should be located.
Kaluga Stone Bridge and the Berezui ravine are the legitimate pride of Kaluga citizens and a monument of federal significance.