The Demidov Bridge (russian: Демидов мост) is a bridge across the

Griboyedov Canal The Griboyedov Canal or Kanal Griboyedova () is a canal in Saint Petersburg, constructed in 1739 along the existing ''Krivusha'' river. In 1764–90, the canal was deepened and the banks were reinforced and covered with granite. The Griboyedo ...

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

. It connects Kazansky and Spassky islands.

Name

The bridge has got its name from a famous Russian noble family Demidovs, whose member

Nikolai Nikitich Demidov Count Nikolai Nikitich Demidov (9 October / November 1773 Chirkovitsi village near Saint Petersburg – 22 April 1828) was a Russian industrialist, collector and arts patron of the Demidov family. Life The son of Nikita Akinfiyevich Demidov ...

also financed it. It connects two parts of the former Demidov street (today Grivtzov street), named after Demidov family which owned land nearby. Initially it was planned to name the bridge ''Bank Bridge'', but this name was already taken by a pedestrian bridge crossing the canal near the former Assignation Bank.

History

In the beginning of the 18th century, on the site of the modern Demidov Bridge, existed a wooden bridge named Saarsky Bridge, since it was on the road leading to

Tsarskoe Selo Tsarskoye Selo ( rus, Ца́рское Село́, p=ˈtsarskəɪ sʲɪˈlo, a=Ru_Tsarskoye_Selo.ogg, "Tsar's Village") was the town containing a former residence of the Russian imperial family and visiting nobility, located south from the c ...

. Between 1834 and 1835 the single-span arched cast iron bridge was constructed by engineers E.A. Adam and Pierre-Dominique Bazaine. The arched span of the bridge consisted of 91 cast iron boxes, which were fastened by bolts. Bridge supports were made from stone, coated by granite.

Decorations

The iron castings of the bridge railings are artistically of high level. The ornament is

palmette The palmette is a motif in decorative art which, in its most characteristic expression, resembles the fan-shaped leaves of a palm tree. It has a far-reaching history, originating in ancient Egypt with a subsequent development through the art o ...

, an artistic motif based on the fan-shaped leaves of a palm tree. Bridge entrance features lamp posts. In 1954–1955 the restoration project took place under the supervision of architect A.L. Rotach. The lost lamps, poles and railing fragments were replaced. Several houses near the bridge have special memorial plaques on their facades, commemorating the level of the water during the catastrophic flooding on November 7, 1824, described by

Pushkin Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...

in the Bronze Horseman poem.

References

{{coord, 59.92872501, N, 30.3154472322, E, source:ruwiki_region:RU_type:landmark, format=dms, display=title Bridges in Saint Petersburg Bridges completed in 1835 Pierre-Domonique Bazaine Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Saint Petersburg