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 it turned out to be impossible to do without bridges.
The shores of the city are washed by ninety rivers and canals, its third lies on the islands. Not surprisingly, St. Petersburg has become the richest city in bridges. Particular attention should be paid to the Sampsonievsky bridge. But first, some background information.
St. Petersburg Bridges
Before considering the Sampsonievsky bridge, you should learn more about the history of bridge building in the Northern capital. The first is considered to be the Ioannovsky Bridge, which arose in 1703. It was built of wood and led to the Peter and Paul Fortress.
In the nineteenth century, buildings were built from glued structures. Later they began to use stone. One of the famous stone structures is the Laundry Bridge. The era of metal began at the end of the eighteenth century. Several ancient wooden bridges still remain in the modern city.
Throughout the centuries, bridges have been constantly rebuilt and modernized. Due to historical events, some of the buildings changed their names. Then the old names were returned to them again. The most important bridges were made sliding so as not to interfere with navigation. 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.
Purpose of the bridge
Sampsonievskiy bridge connects two sides: Petrogradskaya and Vyborgskaya. The structure is almost 215 meters long and 27 meters wide.
Why Sampsonievsky
The name of the bridge is associated with St. Sampson Cathedral, located nearby, on the Vyborg side. The name of the cathedral is associated with the day of memory of St. Sampson the Hospitable. On this day (1709-27-06) Peter the Great won the Battle of Poltava. In 1710, a wooden church was founded, which a decade later was rebuilt into a cathedral. It is still valid today for Orthodox believers. That is, the bridge is a reminder of the victory of Russian troops over the Swedes. Interestingly, this battle was the decisive event of the Northern War. The city in which the cathedral was built and the bridge named after the reverend was called by many the Northern capital. What a coincidence.
Construction history
The history of the Sampsonievsky bridge began in 1784 with the construction of a floating structure, along which people and goods were transported. Initially, it received the name Vyborgsky - from one of the sides of the land. In the middle of the nineteenth century, it was replaced by a wooden version, two hundred and forty-two meters long, a little more than twelve meters wide. It was the building of 1847 that began to be called Sampsonievsky. It was bred manually, consisted of thirteen spans, relied on piles.
In 1862, the bridge was overhauled, and in 1871 it was rebuilt, retaining the old structure.
In 1889, the old structure was replaced by a new wooden bridge. It was parted in the middle, consisted of seventeen spans, its supports were with lanterns.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, tram tracks were laid in the city, so a major overhaul of the bridge was required. As a result, it was decided to build a new structure. In addition to the fact that metal became its basis, the place of construction was also changed. He was moved sixty meters down the river. The building was opened in 1908. The fact is that according to the plans of Professor Krivoshein G. G. it was a temporary bridge. The old structure was to be dismantled and the construction of a new metal bridge started. But the plans were disrupted by the First World War, the revolution.
Freedom 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 restructuring took place, which was completed in 1937. Its wooden girders have been replaced with metal beams.
In 1955, the building was closed to traffic. The reason wasimproper technical condition. Within two years, a new Freedom Bridge was built. Metal became its basis, the wiring was carried out in the middle.
Andreevsky P. V. was the chief engineer in construction. Demchenko V. V. became his assistants. and Levin B. B. The architects were Grushke V. A. and Noskov L. A. The new creation of technical progress consisted of five spans, the movable system was left in the middle. On both sides of the river, two arched coastal inserts made of reinforced concrete were added. Cast iron gratings act as railings. They were made in the technique of artistic casting. The lanterns are made in the form of pompous cast-iron candelabra. Their tops are crowned with round structures with lamps. The photo of the Sampsonievsky bridge looks especially good at night, when the light of the lanterns is reflected in the river.
Sampsonievsky again
In 1991 the Sampsonievsky bridge returned its former name. Nine years later, it was closed for renovation for several months. Roadbeds were repaired, waterproofing and lamps were replaced, railings were 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 the Petrogradskaya 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 there should not be a large influx on the structuretransport.
Opening the bridge
Sampsonievsky bridge in St. Petersburg is rarely divorced. In 2018, it is not indicated in the wiring schedule. The spectacle is unforgettable, so it is better not to miss it.
Time for breeding is always the same - 1:30-4:30. The day is indicated by a preliminary application, which must be submitted two days before the scheduled date. Everything happens automatically.
In 2014, the structure was bred on October 31 for the passage of a water filling station of one of the companies along the river. The spans of the bridge were not fully raised because the water vehicle was low. In other cases, the spans are completely bred.
