The Egyptian Bridge in St. Petersburg, built in the early 19th century, was adorned with sphinxes and gilded Egyptian symbols, reflecting the fashion of the time. However, after nearly 80 years of operation, the bridge collapsed onto the ice. Various reasons for the disaster were discussed: from military steps and fragile metal to structural deficiencies. Mysticism enthusiasts debated who was to blame: a woman, the sphinxes, or local deities. In the mid-20th century, a new, sturdy, and impressive bridge was constructed.

The collapsed bridge was the second transport suspension chain bridge in the city, created by engineers Christianovich and Von Trettter. The first such bridge, the Panteleimon Bridge, also their project, was dismantled shortly after the fall of the Egyptian Bridge due to suspicions about the reliability of its design.

The Egyptian style entered Russian architecture in the early 19th century. The bridge was decorated with four cast-iron sphinxes with lanterns on their heads, created by P.P. Sokolov, who also made the lions for the Lion Bridge and the winged lions for the Banking Bridge. Interestingly, the sphinxes of the Egyptian Bridge resemble Greek sphinxes more than Egyptian ones, with female faces and powerful bodies of lionesses. According to one version, their faces were copied from the wife of Emperor Alexander I.

The figures of the sphinxes and the metal parts of the bridge were cast at the Berd factory. In the early 20th century, merchant Galaktionov acquired two trial specimens, which later ended up at the descent to the Little Neva near the Kamennoostrovsky Bridge. Thus, on Krestovsky Island, one can see copies of the sphinxes from the Egyptian Bridge.

The bridge was bright and impressive: yellow sphinxes, gilded decorations, hieroglyphs on the portals, a cornice with images of the winged sun, the symbol of the god Ra, and a cast iron grille. The gilding shone on the brown surface of the bridge, painted to resemble old bronze.

The bridge was opened on August 25, 1826, in the presence of scientists, engineers, and residents of Petersburg. However, it proved to be unreliable. The disaster occurred on January 20 (February 2) 1905, when the bridge collapsed under the weight of the cavalry grenadier regiment and sled drivers. Soldiers and pedestrians were rescued, but three horses perished. Only the sphinxes survived from the bridge.

A commission was established to investigate the accident, which examined all possible causes of the collapse. One of them was resonance, but eyewitnesses claimed that the soldiers were not marching in step. The condition of the bridge also raised no suspicions, as it had been repaired a year before the tragedy. Ultimately, the commission concluded that the cause was old or defective metal in the chains.

The mystical version states that the tragedy was caused by Maria Ilyinichna Ratner, who cursed the bridge. The residents of Petersburg referred to the bridge as the "Singing" bridge due to the sounds of the chains resembling funeral songs.

A temporary wooden bridge was built at the site of the collapsed bridge, which lasted until the 1950s. A new stone bridge appeared in 1955. It is less luxurious but sturdy and decorated with Egyptian motifs. The bridge carries Lermontovsky Avenue, connecting the Pokrovsky and Nameless Islands. The length of the bridge is 53 meters, and its width is almost 28 meters.

Nearby is the Azimut hotel. The roadway of the bridge is made of reinforced concrete slabs and protected by a granite railing. In 1989, a car knocked one of the sphinxes into the river, and it had to be restored. In the 2000s, the sphinxes and the grille of the bridge were partially covered with gold paint.

The bridge organically fits into the landscape of the Fontanka embankments and attracts tourists with its history and mysteries.