Kanavinsky Bridge is the oldest permanent crossing over the Oka River and the Grebnevsky Canal in Nizhny Novgorod. It is located 1.2 kilometers from the river, near the confluence of the Oka and Volga. The bridge connects the Nizhny and Zarechny parts of the city. Initially, it was called Pakhomovsky, then Oksky, and after the opening of the second Molitovsky Bridge in 1965, it was named Kanavinsky in honor of the district.

The bridge offers picturesque views of Nizhny Novgorod. On one side, there is a panorama of the Volga and its right bank, and on the other, the Metro Bridge. Below stretches the Grebnevye Sands island, which can only be reached by boat from the Zarechny part. On the right bank of the Oka, the spire of the River Station and the walls of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin rise. In the low-lying part of the city is the confluence with famous landmarks: the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, and the Fair House.

Until the early 19th century, residents reached the Kanavino area by ferry and boats, and in winter on the ice. The need for a crossing arose after the fair was moved to the Zarechny part of the city, at the confluence. From mid-July to early September, the trading house was visited by more than 150,000 people, with the city's population being no more than 18,000.

Since 1817, a 500-meter flatboat bridge was used to partially solve the problem, which was assembled in spring and dismantled in autumn. It was the longest floating crossing in Russia, consisting of 26 flatboats. The structure had three parts: two sides were anchored, while the central part moved to allow ships to pass. The wooden plank flooring was replaced every 10 years. Horse-drawn transport used the temporary bridge, and trams began operating in 1896.

The decision to build a permanent crossing was made in 1920, but work only began 10 years later. The project was developed by architects A. V. Shchusev, P. V. Pomazonov, and N. A. Frantsuz with the participation of engineer A. V. Krylov. Construction was carried out under the guidance of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the Bridge Trust. The bridge was built in 1.5 years from 1932 to 1933, although the official timeline was 5 years. Preparatory work began in 1930, and in 1935, the project was approved by the City Council. Operation began on April 2, 1933, although work on the access roads and covering continued.

The original name, Pakhomovsky, did not take hold for political reasons. The bridge was named after Nikolai Ivanovich Pakhomov, the chairman of the regional executive committee in Nizhny Novgorod at the time of its opening. In 1934, Pakhomov became the People's Commissar of Water Transport of the USSR, and in 1937, a member of the Central Committee of the VKP(b). However, in 1938, his career abruptly ended due to criticism from deputy Zhdanov and accusations of espionage. Pakhomov was executed, and the bridge was renamed Oksky.