The Liteyny Bridge in St. Petersburg, the second permanent bridge across the Neva after the Blagoveshchensky Bridge, is the heaviest in the world. It is securely anchored on the banks of the Neva and has a businesslike, prosaic appearance. It is hard to believe that its construction was accompanied by many casualties: the river beneath it is particularly deep and dangerous, with a viscous muddy bottom, strong currents, and whirlpools. Escaping from there is nearly impossible, which likely made it one of the most mystical bridges in Petersburg.

The bridge connects the Central District of the city with the Kalininsky District, allowing Liteyny Avenue to transition into Akadema Lebedeva Street on the Vyborg side.

History of the Bridge

The history of the bridge begins in times when the banks of the Neva were a wild, wooded area. A crossing at this location existed long before the founding of the new capital, connecting Russia with Sweden: Veliky Novgorod with Vyborg.

The name "Liteyny" bridge was given in the mid-19th century when a foundry was located near a temporary floating bridge. Although the permanent bridge was officially named after Emperor Alexander II, this name did not take hold, and it was forgotten after the October Revolution.

The second flatboat Resurrection Bridge operated from 1786 and was located slightly upstream. Flatboat bridges, made of connected flatboats, were cheap and mobile, easily moved along the river. For example, the Resurrection Bridge was soon relocated to the Summer Garden, and then, when the foundry was destroyed, it returned, finally securing the name Liteyny for itself.

However, floating bridges were not durable, and the Resurrection Bridge was destroyed by ice drift. It was decided to replace it with a permanent structure. Seventeen projects were submitted for the competition, and an English design for an arched bridge with two draw spans, "Westminster," won, but it had flaws. Ultimately, the project was entrusted to engineer A.E. Struve, and in 1874, his design was approved by the emperor. It included six spans with a rotating wing at the left bank, and four years were allocated for construction.

In August 1875, the construction of the drawbridge Liteyny began, accompanied by tragedies. The Neva in this spot is deep, 24 meters, and its clay bottom could not support heavy structures. Therefore, it was decided to place the supports on caissons, which were used for the first time in Russia.

A caisson is an open-bottom chamber filled with compressed air, where workers can operate. The bridge's supports are placed on it, sunk into the ground and filled with stone masonry. In the 19th century, working underwater was dangerous, hence the term "caisson disease."

Problems began immediately. A sunken barge was discovered at the site of the first support. One of the caissons struck a rock and sank. In September 1878, a caisson filled with semi-liquid soil, resulting in the death of 5 people, while another five were saved.

Later, a new tragedy occurred: an exploding caisson claimed the lives of 9 people, and about 40 workers drowned in the liquid soil. Work was halted, a year was spent on eliminating the consequences, and the cost of the bridge increased by one and a half times.

According to various sources, up to 100 people died during the construction of the Liteyny Bridge. Despite all the difficulties, on September 30, 1879, the bridge was ceremoniously opened with a slight delay.

Features of the Bridge's Design

The Liteyny Bridge consists of 6 spans, one of which is a draw span. Its length is 394.3 meters, width 34.6 meters, and weight about 6550 tons, making it the heaviest bridge in the world.

The draw span has one leaf. Initially, it was raised manually by the efforts of 8 workers, then the mechanism was connected to the city water supply and used a water turbine, which was unique. The span was raised in 20 minutes.

The bridge was built using new technologies from the best materials, its spans made of high-strength steel were longer than those of other bridges of that time.

It was adorned with elegant railings designed by architect Rakhau, featuring images of mermaids holding shields with the city's coat of arms.

It was the first in Petersburg to be illuminated by electric lamps, but soon they were replaced with gas lamps due to the high cost of electricity.

Before the construction of the Finland Railway Bridge, trains from Finland Station used to cross it.

Reconstruction of the Bridge

In the 1960s, the Liteyny Bridge was completely reconstructed under the guidance of Yu.I. Sinitsa. New metal span structures were installed on the old supports, manufactured on the shore and delivered to the bridge on barges. The weight of the structure was 2500 tons.

The draw span was moved to a deeper location, becoming a vertical lift, like other bridges in Petersburg.

The draw span of the Liteyny Bridge has a record weight of 3225 tons, and its wing rises in 4 minutes.

During the repairs, new lamps were installed, granite descents to the water were arranged, and the historical railings were preserved.

The strength of the bridge was tested with tanks. It became wider and stronger, and when in 2002 it was rammed by the cargo ship "Kaunas," the bridge withstood the impact, although the vessel sank.

The Mystical History of the Bridge

Due to the numerous deaths, the bridge is surrounded by grim myths. It is said that at the bottom of the river lies the "bloody boulder" Atakan, which ancient tribes worshipped, offering human sacrifices. The Neva flooded the stone, but it continues to bring misfortune.

According to another version, the stone ended up at the bottom of the river by order of Peter I.

It is said that in October 1917, a revolutionary mob killed cadets here, and the stone is also to blame for this.

Another legend claims that the bridge was built on the site of a "werewolf bridge" that lured travelers into another space.

The bridge is adjacent to the "Big House," which previously housed the NKVD, and is associated with Stalin's repressions. It was said that the water near the bridge turned pink in the 1930s.

Many stories have been written about the Liteyny Bridge, and various ghosts have been seen in the night fog here. The bridge is considered an anomalous zone where times and spaces intersect.

It is claimed that suicides prefer it over other bridges in Petersburg. For example, the husband of Vera Pavlovna from Chernyshevsky's novel "What Is to Be Done?" shot himself on the Liteyny Bridge.

Artistic Action by the Art Group "Voina"

Due to its favorable location near the FSB, the art group "Voina" chose it for their action. On the morning of June 14, 2010, a 50-meter phallus appeared opposite the "Big House."

Nine participants painted graffiti on the bridge measuring 65 by 27 meters in 23 seconds. It could not be washed away by two fire trucks.

The Ministry of Culture of Russia awarded the action with a prize in the field of contemporary art and paid 400,000 rubles, which the group members donated to help political prisoners.

Folk folklore composed lines for this occasion:

...I tried, like a child,
Drew a dick, a mile long!
For them, four hundred thousand,
For me, just what’s on the bridge.

The stone giant remains restrained and elegant, having served people for almost a century and a half. As if drawn with a ruler, it fits perfectly into the image of the Northern capital. Its creation story and mystical aura give it additional charm.