St. Petersburg is considered one of the most beautiful cities. Its cozy quiet streets, riddled with canals, are interconnected by magnificent bridges. Moreover, many of them have an ancient history and count their existence from time immemorial. Anichkov Bridge, located on the Fontanka, is one of the most famous in St. Petersburg. It began to be erected during the reign of Peter the Great, in 1715. Throughout its long history, the Fontanka crossing has been repeatedly rebuilt, appearing in its final version only seventy years later.
Initially, the Anichkov Bridge was a fairly simple wooden structure. The supports were upholstered with ordinary boards and painted like stone rustications. The construction was supervised by engineer M. Anichkov, in whose honor the building was named. In those days, this bridge was the southern border of St. Petersburg, so there was a barrier on it and there was an outpost where documents were checked from visitors and fees were collected. In connection with the development of shipping, in 1721 the Anichkov Bridge wasimproved. Its middle part became lifting, which made it possible to pass small sailing ships. This bridge was of great importance for the development of the young city, since it was it that connected the Alexander Nevsky Monastery with the Admir alty.
In a damp climate, the wooden structure deteriorated rather quickly, so it was decided to replace it with a stone one. The new three-span structure, designed by the Frenchman J. Perrone, had an adjustable middle part, towers and chains with a lifting mechanism. Other stone bridges of St. Petersburg were built according to this principle, the photos of which are given above.
Over time, the city grew, and Nevsky Prospekt also expanded. The old crossings turned out to be too narrow for large streets, so there was a need to rebuild them again. A new reconstruction of the bridge was carried out in 1841 (under the guidance of engineer I. Butats). Now it has become much wider, the spans were made of brick, the supports are finished with granite. In addition, the Anichkov Bridge has ceased to be a drawbridge. Drawings by the famous German architect K. Schinkel were used on the decorative lattice of the fence. Instead of towers, sculptures appeared at the crossing - the work of the sculptor P. K. Klodt.
The architect's creations formed a certain logical sequence between themselves, the essence of which is reflected in the title - "Horse Tamers". Each of the sculptures symbolized a certain stage in the struggle of people with the elements and an undeniable victory over it. Solemnthe opening of the structure took place in November 1841. However, the quality of the work turned out to be very unsatisfactory; a few years later, deformation of the vaults was discovered. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the state of the crossing became completely threatening. Then, in 1906, the question of rebuilding the Anichkov Bridge again arose. Work to strengthen the structure was carried out under the guidance of architect P. Shchusev.
After the famous sculptures left their places more than once. So, in 1941, during the attack on the city by fascist invaders, the monuments were hidden in pits in the garden near the Anichkov Palace. Only in 1945 did they return to the pedestals.
St. Petersburg experienced many memorable historical events. Anichkov Bridge, the Admir alty, the Peter and Paul Cathedral and many other sights are involuntary witnesses of the transformations associated with the development and improvement of the city.
