Borodinsky Bridge (russian: Бороди́нский мост) is a steel

plate girder bridge A plate girder bridge is a bridge supported by two or more plate girders. Overview In a plate girder bridge, the plate girders are typically I-beams made up from separate structural steel plates (rather than rolled as a single cross-section), ...

that spans

Moskva River The Moskva (russian: река Москва, Москва-река, ''Moskva-reka'') is a river running through western Russia. It rises about west of Moscow and flows roughly east through the Smolensk and Moscow Oblasts, passing through cen ...

, connecting Dorogomilovo District and

Kievsky Rail Terminal Kiyevsky railway terminal (russian: Ки́евский вокза́л, ''Kievskiy vokzal'') also known as Moscow Kiyevskaya railway station (russian: Москва́-Ки́евская, ''Moskva-Kievskaya'') is one of the nine railway terminals of ...

with the centre of

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

(two kilometers due west from the

Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of the kremlins (Ru ...

). The bridge was built in 1911–1912 as

deck arch bridge An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct (a ...

by N.I. Oskolkov, M.I. Schekotov (

structural engineering Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering in which structural engineers are trained to design the 'bones and muscles' that create the form and shape of man-made structures. Structural engineers also must understand and cal ...

) and

Roman Klein Roman Ivanovich Klein (russian: Роман Иванович Клейн), born Robert Julius Klein, was a Russian architect and educator, best known for his Neoclassical Pushkin Museum in Moscow. Klein, an eclectic, was one of the most prolific a ...

(architectural design). In 2001, the bridge was reconstructed, replacing arches and deck with a plate girder structure.Russian: Носарев В.А., Скрябина, Т.А., "Мосты Москвы", М, "Вече", 2004, стр. 184-193 (''Bridges of Moscow'', 2004, p.184-193)

Dorogomilovo Live Bridge (1788, demolished)

Site of Borodinsky Bridge was Moscow's westward river crossing since Middle Ages. The first documented ''live'' (pontoon) wooden bridge was built here in 1788. During the 1812 war with France the bridge was in the way of retreating Russians and

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

's troops invading Moscow.

Borodinsky Bridge (1868, demolished 1911)

The city decided to build a permanent bridge on this site in 1865, authorizing 300,000

rouble The ruble (American English) or rouble (Commonwealth English) (; rus, рубль, p=rublʲ) is the currency unit of Belarus and Russia. Historically, it was the currency of the Russian Empire and of the Soviet Union. , currencies named '' ...

total expenditure. The first bidding contest brought no winner, the job was later awarded to Amand Struwe. His draft was approved by Alexander II, who christened the bridge ''Borodinsky'' to commemorate the

Battle of Borodino The Battle of Borodino (). took place near the village of Borodino on during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The ' won the battle against the Imperial Russian Army but failed to gain a decisive victory and suffered tremendous losses. Napole ...

. Construction started May 2, 1867 and commissioned March 15, 1868. Typical for Struwe, it was a steel truss box, with three 43 meter long spans. Trusses were built by

Kolomna Kolomna ( rus, Колóмна, p=kɐˈlomnə) is a historical city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated at the confluence of the Moskva and Oka Rivers, (by rail) southeast of Moscow. Population: History Mentioned for the first time in 1177, Ko ...

Works (owned by Struwe family) and ferried by river.

Borodinsky Bridge (1912, existing)

Image:Moscow, Borodinsky Bridge 04.jpg, Roman

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cul ...

on the western side of the bridge Image:Borodin brige01.jpg, Obelisks on the eastern side with names of war heroes Image:Moscow, Borodinsky Bridge 03.jpg, Imperial coat of arms Image:Moscow, Borodinsky Bridge 05.jpg, Present-day arches are a mere decoration First Borodinsky Bridge had too low capacity to handle traffic to

. In 1909 the city ran a public contest for the new bridge. Oskolkov, Schekotov and Klein won the contest and began construction in 1911. The bridge, as built in 1912, was 250 meters long, with three spans of 40.9 - 45.5 - 40.9 meters. Each span consisted of 12 arches (spacing between arched 2.1 meters). Concrete deck had an 18.5 meter wide roadway and two pedestrian walkways, each 3.5 meters wide.

Reconstruction of 1952

In 1952, it was rebuilt by Yury Werner. The pillars, arches and deck were extended, widening the bridge to 42.6 meters total width. New arches above embankments (26.0 meter main spans) separated bridge and embankment traffic. Total length reached 352 meters (including western ramp of 106 meters). Tram tracks were removed in 1979.

Reconstruction of 2001

In 1999, the city decided to rebuild the ageing bridge again. Examination of structure dictated complete replacement of arches and deck. At the same time, pillars appeared to be too weak to carry replacement steel arches or a concrete girder box. The only remaining option, a steel plate girder set with an

orthotropic deck An orthotropic bridge or orthotropic deck is typically one whose fabricated deck consists of a structural steel deck plate stiffened either longitudinally with ribs or transversely, or in both directions. This allows the fabricated deck both t ...

, was light enough and was completed in 2001. The bridge retained original stone

obelisk An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by An ...

s and

s dedicated to the war of 1812. As in the case of Novospassky Bridge, rebuilt Borodinsky Bridge was dressed up with fake skirts to look like an arched bridge. These skirts are larger than ''Novospasskys and actually look like arches.

References