This bridge was built over Malaya Neva in St. Petersburg. The total length is 239 meters. He's getting a divorce. After the reconstruction, he was given the form of the Palace Bridge. The new view made the Neva panorama more symmetrical.
Bridge location
One of the crossings from the Petrograd side to Vasilievsky Island and back - the Birzhevoy Bridge - leads from Mytninskaya Embankment to the Rostral Columns and Makarov Embankment. The traffic on the bridge is two-way. From Vasilievsky Island you can get to the bridge through Birzhevaya Square from Universitetskaya Embankment. Following the arrow of Vasilievsky Island, you will find yourself on Mytninskaya embankment or in Zoological Lane. During the reverse movement, the entrance to the bridge is from Dobrolyubov Avenue and leads to both Birzhevaya Square and Makarov Embankment.
Attractions nearby
The bridge is located in the city center. Next to it are located:
- On the Petrograd side there is a zoo, the Museum of artillery, the ensemble of the Peter and Paul Fortress.
- On Vasilievsky Island - Kunstkamera, Zoological Museum and Museum of Soil Science. The bridge also leads to the spit of Vasilyevsky Island, where the exchange building and the Rostral Columns are located.
History of the Exchange Bridge
The name of the bridge was taken from the exchange, located on the arrow. Initially, the trading port was based here, at the mouth of the Malaya Neva. Of course, the growing Vasilievsky island needed a reliable crossing. The construction of the first bridge, designed by engineer Mazurov, was completed in 1894. He was 25-span and made of wood. The incredibly complex structure was 328 meters long. The adjustable span was located in the middle.
Plans to build a permanent bridge 70 meters downstream never materialized. First, due to the outbreak of the First World War, and then the revolution. In Soviet times, the bridge was called Building and remained wooden until 1960.
Restructuring
In 1930 and 1947, the bridge was overhauled, but increased traffic made further use of the wooden bridge impossible. The supports were constantly rotting. As a result of one of the reconstructions, the bridge became narrower, which aggravated the transport situation. In addition, it was badly damaged by ice drift in 1957. The need for a new bridge has become a rather acute urban problem. The old structure not only made travel difficult, but also spoiled the look of the city. At that time, the appearance of Mytninskaya embankment underwent significant changes.
In 1960, a new bridge was built entirely of welded metal elements. His two flights were divorced. Simultaneously with the construction of the bridge, the landscape of the Neva Delta was changed. The Vatny island and the channel of the same name on the Petrograd side were completely bombarded. Thanks to this change, a large area appeared in front of the bridge. The new design is located 70 meters downstream, as expected before the revolution. Now the bridge overlooked Dobrolyubov Avenue, bypassing the narrow Zoological Lane. The new location allowed transport to move freely from the Petrograd side and vice versa.
The authors of the project - engineers Levin and Demchenko, architects Noskov and Areshev - made changes to the eastern tip of Vasilyevsky Island and a general view of the Makarov embankment. A parapet was built that was absent from the time of the trading port. The exchange bridge in form is a copy of the Palace. Thanks to this, a new, unique panorama of the city was created.
The structure was installed on reinforced concrete tubular piles with a diameter of 56 cm. The new bridge, like the old one (wooden), had five spans. The width of the supports of the new design was 9 meters. A more ordered and symmetrical view of the embankments of the Big and Small Neva has become a new symbol of the city. The architecture of the bridge has been somewhat simplified. When creating the project, traffic safety standards were taken into account. In general, the new bridge has become more functional. At the same time, architects did not forget about the monumentality inherent in the whole appearance of the city. The supports are faced with pink granite. The railing of the bridge consists of darts and is decorated with Neptune's tridents in the spans. In 1989, the ferry was finally returned to its old name - Exchange Bridge. A photo of an old, elaborate wooden structure is the only thing that recalls the past. The townspeople quickly got used to the new design.
Bridge today
At the moment, the Birzhevoy Bridge in St. Petersburg is one of the important crossings between Vasilievsky Island and the Petrograd Side. Recently completed the installation of electric backlight. Finally, about 670 lamps, searchlights, mainly LED, were fixed on the bridge piers. The power of the equipment was 25.4 kW. The illumination isolated and highlighted a discreet bridge with a concise design. He became part of a single ensemble of Neva embankments. Thanks to modern technology, supports and railings look great at night. Many old-timers note with satisfaction the fact that the Birzhevoy Bridge has become very beautiful. Its layout began to resemble Palace Bridge even more.
Bypass Birzhevoy bridge
During festive events, the Birzhevoy Bridge, like Tuchkov, is often blocked, and vehicles are bypassed. The increasing traffic intensity made the bridge a problem point on the city map. The ferry is the shortest route from the center to Vasilievsky Island and the Petrograd Side. It is possible to go round the closed section along the Troitsky or Blagoveshchensky bridge.
Transport route
A trolleybus number 7, connecting the Krasnogvardeisky district with the Petrograd side, follows the bridge. The initial stop is on Stakhanovtsev street, the final stop is at Petrovskaya Square. The 10th bus goes through the Petrograd side and the Birzhevoy bridge from Krestovsky Island, then along the Palace Bridge and the city center towards the Baltic Station. Minibuses 191 and K209, following through the bridge, connect the Nevsky district with the city center. A 5M minibus connected Vasilievsky Island, the Petrograd side and the center.
Exchange Bridge Divorce
The schedule for the exchange of the Exchange Bridge is during the navigation period (from May to November) daily from 02:00 to 04:55. Crossing has become a favorite destination for tourists. The episode of the exchange routing is shown in the comedy "The Incredible Adventures of Italians in Russia."