Ancient bridges of China. Ancient bridges - a gift from a bygone civilization Akashi Bridge in Japan

Bridge construction, like nothing else, characterizes the level of development of society, the degree of technical and scientific progress, if you like, more broadly - the level of civilization.

And we have something to be proud of...

Moscow.
The oldest surviving Moscow bridge is the Lefortovo Palace Bridge. Architect - Semyon Yakovlev. Built, according to various sources, in 1777 or 1781-1799.

Lefortovo Bridge. Moscow. Photo from the end of the 19th century.

Lefortovo Bridge. Moscow.

In Moscow there is also the Rostokinsky aqueduct across the Yauza River (the so-called “Million Bridge”), which was built in 1780-1805 for water supply. Now it is pedestrian.

Rostokinsky aqueduct. Moscow. Photos from the late 19th - early 20th centuries

Apparently, park bridges should be placed in a separate category.XVIII century in Neskuchny Garden. One of them is three-arched.

Boring Garden. Moscow.

Bridge in Tsaritsyn, Figurny, 1776-1778. The architect is also V.I. Bazhenov.

As part of the complex of buildings of Catherine’s summer residenceII enters the Great Bridge (1778-1774) across the ravine. It is the largest surviving bridge from the 18th century. Architect V.I. Bazhenov.

Tambov.
Derzhavinsky Bridge over the Studenets River, built in 1786-1788. It had three arches (two of them were blocked, one was filled up).

Vologda.

Stone bridge over the Zolotukha River; built in 1789-1791 according to the design of the architect P.T. Bortnikova. Due to its considerable width it is called a “street-bridge”.

Ryazan.
The stone Glebovsky Bridge, built on the site of a wooden one (leads to the Ryazan Kremlin). According to some information, it was built inXVIII century; according to others - at the beginningXIXth.

Kaluga.

The stone bridge over the Berezuevsky ravine is the largest stone viaduct in Russia. It was built in 1785 according to the design of the architect P.R. Nikitina.

For comparison...

Venice. Rialto Bridge, 1588-1591

The famous "Golden Bridge" in Florence, Ponte Vecchio. Built in 1345.

Prague, Charles Bridge, built 1357

Girsu Bridge - the oldest bridge in the world

This megalithic structure, which is at least 4 thousand years old, for a long time, after its discovery, was identified either as a temple, or a dam, or something else, and only very recently scientists clearly determined that the ancient Sumerian city of Girsu simply had such a brick bridge through a waterway, which, naturally, has not survived to this day.

Let us add that the city of Girsu itself is considered the most ancient in the history of mankind. It is located between the modern cities of Iraq - Basra and Baghdad. Girsu was the capital of the equally ancient kingdom of Lagash and was considered a sacred metropolis, built approximately 5 thousand years ago in honor of the Sumerian god Ningirsu. Moreover, when the political power of the state subsequently shifted to the city of Lagash, Girsu continued to be a generally recognized religious center.

It was the city of Girsu that gave us knowledge about the ancient Sumerian civilization, as well as unique monuments of Sumerian architecture, including this ancient brick bridge, which was discovered in 1920 (let us clarify that the city of Girsu itself was discovered by French archaeologists in 1877).

Unfortunately, for almost a century, the ancient Girsu Bridge was practically accessible to everyone; it was not protected at all as the greatest architectural landmark, and therefore was simply destroyed.

True, today the ancient settlement of Girsu (modern Tello) is used and accordingly protected by the British Museum, on the basis of which Iraqi archaeologists are trained here. Recently, museum staff announced that the restoration of the world's oldest bridge, Girsu, is planned as part of the educational program. Well, this is encouraging and pleasing...

Materials

On March 29, 1998, the Vasco da Gama Bridge over the Tagus River was opened in Portugal. This bridge, named after the Portuguese navigator, became the longest in Europe, stretching for 17.2 km. He has not lost his title to this day.

Milvian Bridge (Ponte Milvio) is a bridge over the Tiber River connecting Rome and Rimini. The mention of a wooden bridge at this place dates back to 207 BC. e., the stone one was built a century later. From its very foundation, the bridge became an important military point. Roman legionnaires trained there, and generals gathered troops for the defense of the city or campaigns of conquest. Those who intended to conquer Rome set up camps near the bridge. Gaius Julius Caesar, who crossed the Rubicon, and Charlemagne, who went to Rome to revive the empire, once crossed the Milvian Bridge. For a long time, the bridge was part of the transport interchanges of Italy, but in 1956 it was declared an ancient monument. It is now open to pedestrians only.

Ponte Vecchio (Italian - “old bridge”) is a bridge over the Arno River and one of the symbols of Florence. On both sides of the bridge are crowded houses in which shops have settled. They have been trading in this place for several centuries. Initially there were shops selling meat and leather goods. But due to the smell and the abundance of garbage, they were soon replaced by jewelers' shops. Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in the city. The first bridge on this site was built in the ancient Roman era. It took on its modern form in 1345. It is also the only bridge in Florence that remained undamaged during World War II.

The Kapellbrücke Bridge in the Swiss city of Lucerne is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe. It was built in 1365 as a defensive corridor connecting fortifications on different banks of the Reuss River. Next to the bridge is the octagonal Wasserturm, which served as a watchtower, dungeon and torture chamber. Under the roof of the bridge, one could initially see 111 triangular paintings reflecting the most important events in the history of Switzerland. Now there are fewer paintings, and these are mostly restored images: 78 originals were destroyed by a fire in 1993.

Charles Bridge is a bridge over the Vltava River in Prague, opened in 1380 and called the Prague Bridge for five centuries. According to legend, the first stone of the bridge was laid by Charles IV himself on July 9, 1357 at 5:31 am. Astrologers advised him to choose the time and date: the combination of year-day-month-hours-minutes is a palindrome 1357-9-7531. In the Middle Ages they believed that a bridge laid at such a moment would last for centuries. Indeed, the Charles Bridge withstood all the floods and disasters. Another legend says that it was from this bridge that St. John of Nepomuk, who did not want to reveal the queen’s secret confession, was thrown in a sack. At the same time, eyewitnesses claimed that they saw a glow in the form of five stars above the place where the body was immersed in the water. Since then, the saint has been depicted with five stars above his head. There is also a belief that if you touch one of the 30 bridge sculptures and make a wish, it will definitely come true.

The Blue Bridge over the Moika River in St. Petersburg connects St. Isaac's Square with Antonenko Lane and Voznesensky Prospekt. Due to its record width (97.3 m), this bridge is often perceived as part of the square, and in the literature you can even find the term “bridge-square”. The name "Blue" comes from the color of the wooden drawbridge built in 1737 on this site. A little later, stone supports were added to it, in 1818 it was made of cast iron, and in 1842 it was completely rebuilt. The bridge has survived in this form to this day.

Anyone who studies English and has reached the topic “Sights of London” will definitely see a photograph of Tower Bridge in the textbook. This is a drawbridge over the Thames, built in 1894. Its two thousand-ton wings can rise to an almost vertical position - at an angle of 83º. Above the wings, at a height of 44 m, there are galleries, which can be accessed by stairs inside the towers. These galleries were created so that pedestrians could cross the river even during the opening of the bridge. However, very soon pickpockets began to actively trade there. For this reason, the galleries were closed in 1910. They reopened only in 1982, already as a museum and observation deck.

The city of Leeuwarden in the Netherlands, with heavy river and road traffic, needed a bridge that could rise and fall quickly without creating congestion. So in 2000, the original Slauerhof drawbridge made of iron and steel appeared over the Harlinger River. It is named after the 20th century Dutch poet and short story writer Jan Slauerhof, who was born in Leeuwarden. The square platform of the bridge, measuring only 15x15 m, is raised and lowered 10 times a day using hydraulic forces. The upper part of the platform represents part of the motorway, while the lower part is painted yellow and blue - the colors of Leeuwarden.

Since 2001, the creators of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in the UK have received a total of more than 30 awards for architectural and engineering solutions, five of which were for the night illumination design solution. The bridge is also featured on the £1 coin. The structure consists of two arches connected by cables. One of them is a pedestrian path under which small ships can pass. The second at its peak reaches a height of about 50 m. To allow a large vessel to pass, the arches rotate 40º around their axis, with one (pedestrian) rising and the other lowering. This turn is called the "winking eye". It is repeated about 2000 times a year.

The Magdeburg "water crossroads" in Germany connects the Elbe-Havel Canal with the Central German Canal, passing over the Elbe River at an altitude of 90 meters. Before the opening of this water bridge in 2003, ships had to make a 12 km detour through other locks. The main part of the bridge is a metal navigation trench lined with reinforced concrete, 32 m wide and 4 m deep. This trench is combined with a 10 m wide pedestrian path. The aqueduct stretches 918 m and is the longest not only in Europe, but also in the world.

Built in 2004 in France, the Millau Viaduct (Bridge Above the Clouds) was considered the tallest bridge in the world for almost a decade. It is made in the shape of a semicircle with a radius of 20 km and a length of 2560 m. The bridge consists of eight spans and seven concrete supports. Its road surface is raised 270 m above the ground, and one of the towers reaches 341 m at its peak. This is higher than the Eiffel Tower and only 40 m lower than the Empire State Building in New York. The record holder was replaced by the Aizhai Extra Large suspension bridge, 355 m high, opened in 2012 in China.

The Thrift Bridge was built by an energy company to carry out installation work in the vicinity of the Thrift Glacier in 2004. Five years later it was reconstructed, strengthening the steel cable system, and opened to the public. The bridge is located on Mount Titlis at an altitude of 3041 m, is about 100 m long and only 1 m wide. When walking, the bridge sways a little, which adds a thrill. The designers claim that it is impossible to fall from the Thrift Bridge, since it can withstand wind gusts of up to 200 km/h and a snow mass of up to 500 tons. But, just in case, they open it only in calm weather.

The Rolling Bridge in London is a 12 meter long pedestrian bridge. True, six days a week it is an octagon of wood and steel. Every Friday since 2005, under the influence of hydraulic pistons built into the railings, the bridge unfolds. The mechanism resembles a caterpillar, which, according to architect Thomas Heatherwick, inspired him to create the bridge.

This honorary title is held by the Zhivopisny Bridge in the north-west of Moscow, opened in 2007. Unlike most bridges, it crosses the Moscow River at an acute angle, that is, it is located primarily along the river. The design of the bridge has no analogues: the road part is suspended by cables (steel cables) to a huge red arch. Its height is 105 m. On top of the arch hangs a glass observation deck in the form of an ellipsoid. Initially, it was planned to open a restaurant in this ellipsoid, but the idea was abandoned. To prevent the glass of the observation deck from becoming covered with snow and ice, they were equipped with an electric heating system. You can get to the top using a special lift from the gallery at the base of the bridge.

The Moses Bridge, opened in 2011 in the Dutch town of Halsteren, is a trench bridge with a pedestrian deck below the water level. The idea of ​​the bridge echoes the biblical story about the prophet Moses, before whom the waters of the Red Sea parted. This bridge was built during the reconstruction of Fort Roovere - part of the Brabant line of structures of the 17th century, which protected Holland from invasion from France and Spain. At that time, some cities and villages were connected and fortified with ramparts, the land behind which was flooded. In the 19th century, these structures became memorial zones - tourist routes organically integrated into the local landscape, preserving their original purpose. The bridge is made of specially treated and water-resistant wood. Moreover, on both sides of the moat there are additional shafts that drain excess water. Therefore, the water level in the moat remains unchanged, and the bridge itself does not get wet during rain.

One of the attractions of the Dutch city of Eindhoven is the round rotating Hovenring bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. It was opened in 2012 to cope with the increased load on the intersection, and so far has no analogues in the world. The diameter of the bridge is 72 meters. In its middle there is a 70-meter support, from which 24 steel ropes extend to the bridge. The engine is also located there. Since Eindhoven is positioned as a city of light, the designers also took care of the lighting of the bridge: LEDs are built into the bicycle ring, railings, ropes and the central support.

The construction of bridges in Rus' began a very long time ago. The oldest of them, thanks to the abundance of forests, were cut from wood. The first bridges were simply trees thrown from bank to bank (Fig. 209). As the Kyiv state grew and strengthened and cities grew at the end of the 10th century, the art of construction also improved.

The extraordinary skill of Russian carpenters attracted the attention of foreign travelers. Jean Sauvage of Diepsky, who visited Rus', notes: “The fence of Arkhangelsk is a castle built from pointed and cross logs; its construction from logs is excellent; there are no nails or hooks, but everything is so well finished that there is nothing to blaspheme, although the Russian builders use only axes for all their tools; but no architect will do better than they did.”

In “Russkaya Pravda” (1020) there is a special article “about bridge workers.” In the army of Yarosdav the Wise (1019-1054) there was a special class of military builders, called “gorodniks” - builders of fortresses, “mostniks” - builders of bridges and crossings, and “vicious masters” who built various kinds of machines (vices) for the siege of fortresses . Under their command were workers: “carpenters, woodworkers, hirelings, businessmen.” Thus, already at the beginning of the 11th century, Rus' had qualified craftsmen - specialists in various fields of construction. The most common type of bridge on large rivers was floating, so-called "living" bridges, consisting of a number of rafts, boats or barges supporting the deck. A similar floating bridge across the Dnieper in Kyiv was built under Vladimir Monomakh in 1115. For that time, this bridge was a remarkable engineering structure.

Novgorodians have long been famous for their skill as “woodworkers,” whose artistic taste and skill are evidenced by the examples of the remarkable skill of their successors preserved in the north. The famous bridge over the Volkhov River - the place where the disputes of the Novgorodians were resolved (Fig. 210) - had supports in the form of log houses, gorodney with an upper through part. The log flooring (Fig. 211) of the canvas rested on it.

The span adjacent to the city wall was usually made of a lift and was called an overhead bridge. The first chronicle indication of the construction of drawbridges dates back to 1229. Their lifting mechanism consisted of a rocker arm rotating between pillars (jeravets) and chains.

Ravines and small rivers were often blocked by double or triple rows of through log walls - fences connected by transverse rows of logs (Fig. 212).

Such a design existed at the end of the 18th century on the Arkhangelogorodsky tract, which is reflected in the drawings below. On the low-water bed, holes were left for the free passage of water, often to the full height of the fence, and the result was a bridge, the abutments of which were a two- or three-row through wall. Spring waters passed into the split horizontal cracks between adjacent rows of logs. The next step was bridges with ryazhe supports made of solid walls, which were filled with stone or earth. One of the surviving bridges of this type is shown in Fig. 213, 214. It is located on the river. Kene near the village of Ovchinkonets (Fedorovskoye). To shorten the span, short ones in the form of consoles were produced from the row. One of the bridges with such outlets has been preserved (Fig. 215) in the Caucasus along the Sukhumi road.

The Tatar invasion delayed the development of Russian engineering and, in particular, the construction of bridges.

The only exceptions were Novgorod and Pskov, which were not directly affected by the invasion of the Tatar hordes. In the 15th-16th centuries, the Pskov inventions, which also worked in other cities, were especially famous in Rus'.

During the period of strengthening of the Moscow principality, during the process of unification of the Russian state, the construction of bridges was also revived.

Bridges played a significant role in military operations. Under Dmitry Donskoy, during the siege of Tver, a bridge was built across the Volga, and during the war with the Tatars - across the Don (1380). Such bridges have been built more than once in Novgorod. During the struggle about Moscow, a wooden floating wall was built here on the Volkhov (1477). It is known that during the campaign of Ivan III he also built a floating bridge near Novgorod. The first wooden bridges in Moscow were also “alive”: Moskvoretsky, Krymsky and others (Fig. 216).

Notes

2. The bridge was measured in 1946 by architect. Opolovnikov and Zabello, to whom the above drawings belong. The dam across the Volkhov in Novgorod, built in 1528 by Nevezha Pskovite, was of just this type with ridges filled with stones.

3. Builders at that time were called “rozmysly”, “ward masters”, “city wise men”, etc.

Usually, when the conversation turns to ancient buildings that have survived to this day, people remember the Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Egyptian pyramids. But in fact, there are buildings that, although they were built thousands of years ago, are still in use today.
Vivid examples of such structures are bridges. This review contains the 10 oldest of them.

1. Shekhar Bridge

Shehar Bridge, also known as the Bridge of Sighs (not to be confused with the Venetian Bridge), is located in Yemen. Built in the 17th century, the bridge connects two mountains, or rather the villages located on them, at an altitude of 2600 meters. The bridge leads over a 200-meter abyss.
In earlier times, Shekhara Bridge was the only way to the large mountain village of Shekhara and it was built not only for ease of communication, but also for protection from Turkish invaders. They say that local residents know how to collapse a bridge in just a minute, completely isolating a mountain village.

2. Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio bridge was built in 1345 in Florence, Italy. As with the Fabricio Bridge, it was built to replace an old dilapidated wooden bridge. What's interesting about this bridge is that it was originally built with a bunch of shops on it, and it still remains that way.
Initially, these shops housed fish and meat traders, but in the 1400s, due to the unpleasant smell that spread throughout the area, the ruler banned trade on the bridge for everyone except jewelers and silversmiths. Today these shops house mainly souvenir shops.

3. Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) in Venice was built in 1591, again to replace an old destroyed wooden bridge. It was designed by the architect Antonio de Ponte, who won a competition to design the bridge against Michelangelo and Palladio. Unfortunately, after its construction, the Rialto Bridge began to be criticized by all and sundry, from residents to art connoisseurs, who stated that the bridge was too “massive and awkward.”
However, such a bridge (with a 24-meter high arch so that galleys could pass under it, and a row of shops in the middle of the bridge) simply could not be fragile and graceful.

4. Khaju Bridge

In 1667, on the foundation of the old bridge, by order of Shah Abbas II, the 133-meter arched stone Khaju Bridge was built across the Zayandeh River. Apart from its main function, it also acts as a dam, but its most interesting aspect is the social aspect. An impressive pavilion was built right in the middle of the bridge for the recreation of Shah Abbas II and his courtiers. It had comfortable seats overlooking the river, teahouse and art gallery.

5. Fabricio Bridge

The Romans built many things that have stood the test of time. For example, in Rome you can see and visit the Fabricio Bridge (Pons Fabricius). The bridge was built by the curator Lucius Fabricius in 62 BC. to replace a burnt wooden bridge. A 62-meter stone bridge connects the island of Tiberina with the left bank of the Tiber. After a flood in 23 BC, the two consuls Marcus Lollius and Quintus Aemilius Lepidus made adjustments to the bridge to improve it (although which ones are unknown).

6. Jendere Bridge

The 120-meter bridge was built in Turkey in the second century to honor the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, his wife Julia Domna and their sons Caracalla and Geta. This is one of the longest arch bridges that were built by the Romans. On each side of the bridge there are two columns that were built in honor of Emperor Septimius Severus and his wife (on one side) and their children (on the other).
Currently, the Geta Column is missing. When Caracalla came to power, he killed Geta and tried to erase any mention of them. It was then that Goeth's column was destroyed.

7. Anji Bridge

The 50-meter Anji Bridge (also known as the "Great Stone Bridge") is the oldest surviving bridge in China. It was built in 605 AD to become one of the finest in the world. At that time it was the most technically advanced bridge due to the presence of the largest arch. The bridge has survived 10 floods, eight wars and countless earthquakes, and has only been repaired nine times.

8. Pont Sant'Angelo

The Ponte Sant'Angelo pedestrian bridge over the Tiber River in Rome was built by order of Emperor Hadrian in 136 AD. The Ponte Sant'Angelo is one of the most famous bridges in Rome and also one of the most beautiful. It leads to the Mausoleum of Hadrian (today it is the Castle of the Holy Angel). In 1668, sculptor Lorenzo Bernini decorated the bridge by creating 10 angels along its entire length. Each angel holds one of the symbols of Jesus' crucifixion, such as the crown of thorns.

9. Tarr Steps

Tarr Steps Bridge in the British Exmoor National Park is a 55-meter structure across the Barloe River made of stone slabs. It is unknown who made such an unusual bridge and when (some scientists suggest that it could have been built around 3000 BC), but local legends say that Tarr Steps was built by the Devil himself, who swore to kill anyone who dared to cross his.

10. Arcadico Bridge

The Arkadiko Bridge in Greece is considered the oldest surviving arch bridge in the world. Scientists believe it was built during the Greek Bronze Age, around 1300-1200. BC. Arkadiko was part of the military road between the cities of Tiryns and Epidauros in the Mycenaean era. It is wider than a normal pedestrian bridge (about 2.5 m wide).
Historians believe that this was done so that chariots could safely cross the bridge. What is most impressive about Arcadico is that it is made entirely of limestone boulders, without the use of cement.