The first bridge in Moscow was the floating Moskvoretsky Bridge, made of logs lying on the water. It was raised to allow ships to pass. Over time, other floating bridges appeared, but they had to be dismantled during floods and were unsuitable for transporting heavy artillery. By the 17th century, it became clear that a permanent bridge was needed, one that would not depend on the season or weather.

In 1643, master Ance Kristler from Strasbourg was invited to build the Stone Bridge. Together with his uncle Ivan, he created a wooden model and blueprints for the bridge. The construction site was chosen just above the confluence of the Neglinnaya River with the Moskva River, but work did not progress beyond the initial stage.

Construction resumed in 1682 and was completed in 1687 according to Kristler's project. The bridge, 149 meters long and 21 meters wide, was built by an unknown monk. Due to high costs, a saying emerged: "More expensive than the Stone Bridge."

The bridge started from the corner of the Government House and led to Lenivka Street. It housed shops and became a popular walking spot. On the Zamoskvorechye side, a tower with gates and a beer garden was installed on the observation deck, offering a view of the Kremlin. A mill operated under the bridge.

In 1783, due to water pressure and poor maintenance, three arches of the bridge with the shops of merchant Epaneshnikov collapsed, killing 4 people. During repairs, all the shops and the tower were removed. The bridge remained in this form until the mid-19th century.

In 1859, a new Stone Bridge with metal trusses was built on the site of the old one. It served until the mid-1930s.

The modern Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge was opened in 1938. It was directed not towards the narrow Lenivka, but closer to the Kremlin. The length of the bridge with approaches was 487 meters, and the high metal arches spanned the river in a single span. The construction of new bridges in 1938 was associated with the opening of the Moscow-Volga Canal, as large ships requiring high spans were to navigate the river.