Birzhevoy bridge in St. Petersburg

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

This bridge was built over the Malaya Neva in St. Petersburg. The total length is 239 meters. He is getting divorced. After perestroika, it was given the shape of the Palace Bridge. The new view made the Neva panorama more symmetrical.

Bridge location

One of the crossings from the Petrograd side to Vasilyevsky Island and back - Birzhevoy Bridge - leads from Mytninskaya Embankment to the Rostral Columns and Makarov Embankment. The traffic on the bridge is two-way. From Vasilyevsky Island, you can get to the bridge through Birzhevaya Square from University Embankment. Following from the spit of Vasilyevsky Island, you will find yourself on Mytninskaya Embankment or in Zoological Lane. When driving back, the bridge is entered from Dobrolyubova Avenue and leads both to Birzhevaya Square and Makarov Embankment.

Attractions nearby

The bridge is located in the city center. Next to it are:

• On the Petrograd side - the zoo, the Museum of Artillery, the ensemble of the Peter and Paul Fortress.
• On Vasilyevsky Island - the Kunstkamera, the Zoological Museum and the Museum of Soil Science. The bridge also leads to the spit of Vasilyevsky Island, where the stock exchange building and 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 Vasilyevsky Island needed a reliable crossing. The construction of the first bridge, designed by engineer Mazurov, was completed in 1894. It was 25-span and made of wood. The incredibly complex structure was 328 meters long. The draw span was located in the middle.

Plans to build a permanent bridge 70 meters downstream never came to fruition. First due to the outbreak of the First World War, and then the revolution. In Soviet times, the bridge was called Stroitelny and remained wooden until 1960.

Restructuring

In 1930 and 1947 the bridge was overhauled, but the increased traffic made the 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 traffic 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 construction not only made it difficult to travel, but also spoiled the appearance of the city. At that time, the appearance of Mytninskaya embankment has undergone significant changes.

In 1960, a new bridge was built entirely of welded metal elements. Two of its spans parted. Simultaneously with the construction of the bridge, the landscape of the Neva Delta was changed. The island of Vatny and the island of the same name were completely covered upchannel on the Petrograd side. Thanks to this change, a large area appeared in front of the bridge. The new construction is located 70 meters downstream, as it was supposed before the revolution. Now the bridge led to Dobrolyubov Prospekt, bypassing the narrow Zoological Lane. The new location allowed transport to move freely from the Petrograd side and back.

The authors of the project - engineers Levin and Demchenko, architects Noskov and Areshev - made changes to the eastern tip of Vasilevsky Island and the general view of the Makarov embankment. A parapet was built, which had been missing since the time of the trading port. Birzhevoy Bridge in form - a copy of the Palace. Thanks to this, a new, unique panorama of the city has been 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 Bolshaya and Malaya Neva embankments 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, the architects did not forget about the monumentality inherent in the whole appearance of the city. The pillars are lined with pink granite. The railings of the bridge are made of darts and are decorated with Neptune's tridents in the spans. In 1989, the crossing was finally returned to its old name - Birzhevoy Bridge. A photo of an old, artsy wooden structure is the only thing that reminds of the past. The townspeople quickly got used to the new construction.

Bridge today

At the moment, Birzhevoy Bridge in St. Petersburg is one of the important crossings between Vasilevsky Island and the Petrograd side. Recently completed work on the installation of electric lighting. Finally, about 670 lamps, floodlights, mostly LED, were fixed on the bridge piers. The power of the equipment was 25.4 kW. Illumination isolated and singled out a discreet bridge with a laconic design. It became part of a single ensemble of the Neva embankments. Thanks to modern technology, the poles and railings look great at night. Many old-timers note with satisfaction the fact that the Birzhevoy Bridge has become very beautiful. Its wiring has become even more reminiscent of the Palace Bridge.

Birzhevoy Bridge bypass

During festive events, the Birzhevoy Bridge, like Tuchkov, is often blocked, and transport is allowed to bypass. The increasing traffic volume has made the bridge a problematic point on the city map. The crossing is the shortest way from the center to Vasilevsky Island and the Petrograd side. It is possible to bypass the closed section along the Trinity or Blagoveshchensky bridge.

Transport route

Trolleybus number 7 follows the bridge, connecting the Krasnogvardeisky district with the Petrograd side. The starting stop is on Stakhanovtsev Street, the final stop is at Petrovsky Square. The 10th bus goes through the Petrogradskaya Storona and Birzhevoy Bridge from Krestovsky Island, then along the Palace Bridge and the city center towards the B alticstation. Route taxis 191 and K209, crossing the bridge, connect the Nevsky district with the city center. Minibus taxi 5M connected Vasilevsky Island, Petrograd side and the center.

Opening the Exchange Bridge

Birzhevoy bridge draw schedule - during the navigation period (from May to November) daily from 02:00 to 04:55. The crossing has become a favorite place for tourists. The episode of Birzhevoy's wiring is shown in the comedy "The Incredible Adventures of Italians in Russia".