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Until the mid-19th century, there was no permanent bridge across the Neva in Petersburg at all! Everyone made do with temporary "pontoon" structures that were dismantled for winter, and the city literally split into parts. But then it appeared – the Blagoveshchensky Bridge, and it was a true revolution.
Blagoveshchensky Bridge: the story of its creation
The story of its creation resembles an old fairy tale. In 1843, engineer Stanislav Kerbedz began building the first permanent bridge in Saint Petersburg. A beautiful legend still lives in the city that Emperor Nicholas I wanted this bridge so much that he promised Kerbedz to promote him in rank for each span built. In reality, of course, this is a legend, but there is some truth to it – he started the construction as a major and finished as a full major general.
What the Blagoveshchensky Bridge was formerly called
Initially, the bridge was to be called Nevsky, but at the opening in 1850 it was christened Blagoveshchensky – in honor of the church and square nearby. When Nicholas I passed away, the bridge became Nikolaevsky to perpetuate the tsar's name.
After the revolution, in 1918, it was renamed Lieutenant Schmidt Bridge – in honor of the hero of the uprising on the cruiser «Ochakov». And only in 2007 did it officially become Blagoveshchensky again, although many still get confused by the names.
The uniqueness of the Blagoveshchensky Bridge lies in its details:
It is the only and the oldest drawbridge in Saint Petersburg, whose foundation is still carefully preserved by wooden piles.
Its railing is a true masterpiece, created from drawings by architect Alexander Brullov. Neptune's tridents are frozen in the openwork cast iron and fantastic seahorses, whose tails are woven into an elegant floral ornament.
For a long time, next to the bridge stood the Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, affectionately called by the people «Nicholas on the Bridge». Its walls were decorated with mosaic images created by craftsmen in Italy, and the gilded decor was reflected in the Neva's water.
Interesting facts
The Blagoveshchensky Bridge is called the «river-sea» boundary. Before it, it is still a river; after it, toward the gulf, strict maritime rules already apply.
City residents immediately nicknamed it «the son of Lieutenant Schmidt», and the mechanics who serviced it – «the lieutenant's children».
Where the Blagoveshchensky Bridge is located
The Blagoveshchensky Bridge is located in Saint Petersburg, crosses the Bolshaya Neva River and connects Vasilyevsky and the 2nd Admiralteysky Islands. The bridge connects Trezzini Square, Universitetskaya Embankment and Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment in the Vasileostrovsky District with Truda Square and the English Embankment in the Admiralteysky District. Addresses you can use as landmarks: Admiralteyskaya Embankment 38 and the monument to D.A. Trezzini.
When the Blagoveshchensky Bridge is raised
The Blagoveshchensky Bridge is located in Saint Petersburg, crosses the Bolshaya Neva River and connects Vasilyevsky and the 2nd Admiralteysky Islands. It is raised during the navigation period – from early April to late November; this happens according to a schedule to let caravans of ships pass, and the spectacle is unforgettable, because the bridge connects Vasilyevsky Island with the city center. We told about other drawbridges in this article.
