Where is the Kronverksky Bridge?

Ural Bridge Ural BridgeConnects Vasilyevsky Island and Dekabristov Island in alignment Ural street. Bridge length 24.6 m; width - 31 m. The name comes from Uralskaya Street, which from 1836 to 1859 was called Vinny Lane. In 1829, a wooden bridge was built here,

The “Humpbacked” Kronverksky Bridge serves as a link between Hare Island and Mytinskaya Embankment, close to Kronverksky Prospekt, and crosses the Kronverksky Strait, from which it gets its name.

This crossing was built in 1938, on the site of a bridge that had stood here since 1875, known as the 2nd Fortress. The construction of the new bridge was due to the need for a crossing during the expansion of the Gosnardomovsky garden. The construction of the new Kronverksky Bridge was carried out according to a project developed by railway engineer P. P. Stepnov. The erected bridge became a five-span wooden bridge structure, the spans of which are covered by metal beams. The rather large height of the middle span of this crossing, necessary for the passage of dredgers, was determined by the steepness of the bend of its surface, which is why the Kronverksky Bridge was popularly called the Humpbacked Bridge. The width of the Gorbaty-Kronverksky Bridge was 8.9 meters between the railings, and the length along the deck was 58 meters.

A major overhaul of this bridge structure was carried out in 1947, after which this bridge became capable of carrying horse-drawn vehicles. So, having served for more than 30 years, this crossing again underwent repairs and reconstruction, during which the length of the Kronverksky Bridge and the rear wall of its abutments became 57.5 meters, and the width between the railings was 8.8 meters.

It should be noted that the Kronverksky Bridge, which has a wooden deck and railings, is similar to the ancient wooden St. Petersburg bridges of the 18-19th centuries, and therefore fits very harmoniously into architectural ensemble Peter and Paul Fortress.

The Kronverk Strait is a natural “first line of defense”. A curvilinear river channel washes Zayachiy Island, on which the fortress is located, from its northwestern part, separating it from Petrogradsky Island. Opposite the Alekseevsky ravelin, the humpbacked Kronverksky Bridge rises above the water barrier.

This modern bridge, which is only 80 years old, all of its nine spans are covered with metal beams and are capable of withstanding the movement of vehicles weighing up to 7 tons per axle. At the same time, the structure, 57.5 meters long and 8.8 meters wide (according to St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution “Mostotrest”) - with its shape, the pattern of the fence made of wooden beams, and the boardwalk - is very similar to the building of the 18th century and fits perfectly with the surrounding ensemble.

The Kronverksky Bridge, as you might guess, received its name from the Kronverk Strait, as well as Kronverkskaya embankment and Kronverksky Avenue, which describes an arcuate trajectory around the former glacis of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Almost until the middle of the 19th century, this territory on the Petrograd side was a remote, overgrown wasteland, although the project for creating a park area in this place had long been developed by the architect A. A. Menelas on the instructions of Alexander I.

Thanks to the initiative of the Minister of Finance E.F. Kankrin, who often visited the Mint in the Peter and Paul Fortress, and his active participation, one of the first public parks in the city, called Alexandrovsky, appeared here in the 1840s. For ease of communication across the channel, two bridges were built in 1875 - the 1st Fortress Bridge and the 2nd Fortress Bridge. Unlike the one that was built across the strait in the 18th century and still exists today, both crossings were lost in 1914.

In 1924, the Peter and Paul Fortress was turned into a museum. And in the 1930s, they began to actively improve the former Alexander Park, renamed the garden of the State House (the former People's House), where, in addition to the usual park entertainment, the famous “Roller Coaster” attraction was installed.

As part of these transformations, in 1938, just downstream from the place where the 2nd Fortress Bridge once was, a new crossing was built according to the design of engineer P. P. Stepnov. Since the only bridge across the strait that existed at that time was and remains a pedestrian one, road bridge was simply necessary here.

And in our time, the Kronverksky Bridge carries a large load, ensuring the movement of daily flows excursion buses, transportation of goods for events, passage of passenger cars heading to the Mint. Every five years, the bridge supports are repaired, and the decking and fencing are renewed every three years.

Where is the Kronverksky Bridge?

Object of historical and cultural heritage The Kronverksky Bridge, spanning the strait of the same name, connects Zayachiy Island with the Petrogradskaya Side (facing Mytninskaya Embankment). A busy tourist route, because the bridge leads to the Peter and Paul Fortress.

On the opposite side is Alexander Park with its famous attractions: the Leningrad Zoo, the Music Hall. Pleasure boats depart from the pier next to the bridge for excursions along the waterways of St. Petersburg.

The Kronverksky Bridge is named after the strait of the same name that it crosses. The crossing connects Hare Island, on which the Peter and Paul Fortress is located, with the main part of St. Petersburg. Unofficially, the bridge is called “humpbacked” because of the sharp bend in the middle part.

History of construction

In 1875, the Second Fortress Bridge stood on the site of the Kronverksky Bridge. Construction of the new crossing began in 1938, when it was necessary to expand the former “Gosnardom” garden (currently Aleksandrovsky).

The design of the new bridge was calculated by engineer Petr Stepnov. The structure consisted of five wooden spans. The central span was raised above the canal to a considerable height to allow dredgers and small vessels to pass underneath. The width of the bridge was 8.9 m, length - 58 m. Architecturally, the crossing was reminiscent of bridges of the 18-19 centuries. and successfully fit into the historical part of the city, complementing the appearance of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

In 1947, the bridge was repaired, strengthening the structure with metal beams, and traffic on the roadway was allowed for automobile and horse-drawn vehicles. In 1977, the renovation work: wooden abutments, decking and railings were replaced, sidewalks were separated.

The next urgent repair was carried out in 2015, when the bridge was declared unsafe as a result of 79% rotting of wooden elements. The Committee for the Protection of Cultural Monuments put forward a requirement to preserve the historical appearance of the crossing, so the material, geometric parameters and architectural forms were preserved during the renovation. In 2016, the bridge was reopened to traffic.

Kronverksky Bridge today

The beam bridge consists of five spans mounted on wooden supports on pile foundations. The roadway and sidewalks are covered with wooden beams, and the railings are also made of wood. The length of the bridge remains unchanged - 58 m, width - 8 m. The crossing is open to pedestrians, as well as to vehicles with a weight limit of less than 7 tons per axle.

IN tourist season 250 excursion buses run across the bridge every day, bringing city guests to the Peter and Paul Fortress. During holidays and public events, trucks deliver sand and equipment to Hare Island, and passenger cars regularly go to the Mint. Due to heavy loads, the wooden supports of the Kronverk crossing require replacement every 5 years, and the decking and railings - every 3 years. After a major overhaul in 2015-16. City authorities are closely monitoring the condition of the crossing.