Today it is impossible to imagine the Northern capital of the Russian Federation without bridges. Although the history of the city itself began with the denial of bridge building. Peter the Great wanted to accustom the inhabitants to water, so he demanded that they overcome water barriers with the help of boats and ferries. But there was no way to do without bridges.
The banks of the city are washed by ninety rivers and canals; one third of it lies on the islands. It is not surprising that St. Petersburg has become the richest city with bridges. Particular attention should be paid to Sampsonievsky bridge. But first, some general information.
Bridges of St. Petersburg
Before considering the Sampson Bridge, you should learn more about the history of bridge construction in the Northern capital. The first is the St. John’s Bridge, which arose in 1703. It was built of wood and led to the Peter and Paul Fortress.
In the nineteenth century, structures were built from glued structures. Later they began to use the stone. One of the famous stone structures is the Laundry Bridge. The era of metal began in the late eighteenth century. In the modern city, several old wooden bridges are still preserved.
Over the centuries, bridges were constantly rebuilt, modernized. Due to historical events, part of the buildings changed their names. Then the old names returned to them again. The most important bridges were made sliding, so as not to interfere with shipping. Today they are also getting divorced. This is done in a strictly allotted time. The schedule can be found on the official websites of the city.
Bridge purpose
Sampsonievsky bridge connects two sides: Petrograd and Vyborg. The length of the structure reaches almost two hundred and fifteen meters, and the width is twenty-seven meters.
Why Sampsonievsky
The name of the bridge is associated with Sampson Cathedral, located nearby, on the Vyborg side. The name of the cathedral is connected with the feast day of the Monk Sampson the Stranger. On this day (06/27/1709) Peter the Great won the Battle of Poltava. In 1710, a wooden church was laid, which a decade later was rebuilt into a cathedral. He acts today for Orthodox believers. That is, the bridge is a reminder of the victory of Russian troops over the Swedes. Interestingly, this battle was a decisive event in the Northern War. The city in which the cathedral was created and named after the reverend bridge, many called the northern capital. Here is a coincidence.
Construction history
The history of the Sampsonievsky bridge began in 1784 with the establishment of a floating structure along which people and goods were transported. Initially, it was called Vyborg - from one side of the land. In the mid-nineteenth century, it was replaced by a wooden version two hundred forty-two meters long, a little more than twelve meters wide. It was the structure of 1847 that came to be called Sampsonievsky. He was bred manually, consisted of thirteen spans, rested on piles.
In 1862, the bridge was overhauled, and in 1871 it was rebuilt, preserving the old structure.
In 1889, the old structure was replaced by a new wooden bridge. He divorced in the middle, consisted of seventeen spans, his supports were with flashlights.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, tramways were laid in the city, so a major overhaul of the bridge was required. As a result, it was decided to build a new design. In addition to the fact that metal became its basis, the place of construction was changed. He was moved sixty meters down the river. The construction was opened in 1908. The fact is that according to the plans of Professor Krivoshein G.G. it was a temporary bridge. The old building should have been dismantled and the construction of a new metal bridge started. But plans were disrupted by World War I, the revolution.
Liberty Bridge
With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, the Sampsonievsky bridge in St. Petersburg changed its name. It happened in 1923. In addition to the name change, a complete overhaul of the structure took place, which ended in 1937. Her wooden girders were replaced by metal beams.
In 1955, the building was closed to traffic. The reason was in poor technical condition. Within two years, a new Liberty Bridge was built. Its basis was metal, wiring was carried out in the middle.
The chief engineer in the construction was P. Andreevsky His assistants were Demchenko V.V. and Levin B. B. The architects were Grushke V.A. and Noskov L.A. The new creation of technological progress consisted of five spans, the adjustable system was left in the middle. On both sides of the river, two arched coastal inserts made of reinforced concrete were added. Cast iron grates act as railing. They were made in the art of casting. Lanterns are created in the form of pompous candelabra made of cast iron. Their tops are crowned with round structures with lamps. The photo of Sampsonievsky bridge looks especially good in the dark, when the light of the lanterns is reflected in the river.
Again Sampsonievsky
In 1991, Sampsonievsky Bridge returned its former name. Nine years later, it was closed for reconstruction for several months. Road surfaces were repaired, waterproofing and lamps were replaced, the railing was restored. The wiring mechanism was also repaired.
Since 2013, the bridge has become shorter. Its length is one hundred ninety-three meters. This is due to the construction of the interchange.
From the bridge you can admire the picturesque view of Petrograd embankment, the cruiser Aurora, the Nakhimov School. The photos taken will allow you to enjoy the walk for many years. The main thing is that the construction should not have a large influx of transport.
