10.01.2019 - 11:38
We have all heard of various ancient buildings, but most of them are now just tourist attractions and not used for their intended purpose. However, there are several bridges, built hundreds and even thousands of years ago, along which people and vehicles actively move. Often bridges are destroyed in disasters, in wars, burn down and explode, but the structures from this list have survived centuries.
The ancient Romans created many things that have stood the test of time. Thanks to their amazing technology, structures built during the Roman era stand to this day. One of them is the Fabritius Bridge in Rome.
The bridge was created by Lucius Fabricius in 62 BC to replace a burnt wooden bridge. It is curious that for more than 2000 years of existence, the bridge was practically not repaired.
The Ponte Vecchio Bridge is located in the Italian city of Florence. It was built in 1345 to replace the wooden bridge at the narrowest point of the Arno River. It is still as gorgeous as it was centuries ago.
Ponte Vecchio was originally used as a place for shopping malls - it housed butcher and fish stalls so that the smell of slaughter did not disturb the townspeople.
There is a version that it was on him that the concept of "bankruptcy" was born. When the merchant had nothing to repay his debts, the counter on which he placed his goods (“banco”) was broken (“rotto”) by the guards. This practice became known as "bancorotto", because without the counter, the merchant was no longer able to sell anything.
In the 18th century, King Ferdinand I banned the fish and meat trade on the bridge, and since then they began to place jewelry and later souvenir shops on it.
It is curious that during World War II, Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge not blown up by the Nazis in Florence.
The Rialto Bridge is located in Venice and serves as a crossing over the famous Grand Canal. In its place there were many other bridges, wooden, which were destroyed by fires, and in the 16th century it was decided to build a stone bridge.
It was created by a little-known architect Antonio de Ponte. Even before construction began, the project was criticized, and after the construction of the bridge, many predicted that it would soon collapse. However, centuries have passed, and the post still stands in its place.
The Russian traveler P.A.Tolstoy wrote about him at the end of the 17th century:
“There are many bridges in Venice, both stone and village, between which there is one stone bridge, very large and wide, which the Italians call Arialt. On that bridge, on both sides, there are shops where they sell all sorts of small goods. Beyond that bridge, there are great rows in which silver courts and cloth are sold. Great courts with goldfinches can approach under that bridge, so that that bridge is extremely high, made on one vault and a fair amount of work. The Viennese people are divided in two: those who live on the other side of this commemorated Arialtu bridge, where the church of the team of St. Mark is, they are called the Catholic; and those who live from those behind that great bridge mentioned, those are called Nicoliots, and they have a secret enmity with each other. And there are great fist fights between the vile people between the Nicoliots and the Kastelians. On that remembered great bridge in those kulash battles, there is a lot of murder and death. "
This arched stone footbridge over the Zayande River is located in the Iranian city of Isfahan. The Haju Bridge consists of 24 arches and is 133 meters long and 12 meters wide. The bridge has two tiers decorated with tiles. It was built in 1650 - on the foundations of an old bridge. This structure performs three functions at once - at the same time it is a dam, a resting place and serves to cross the river. In the middle of the bridge there is a pavilion for the ruler - Shah Abbas II, in which he rested, admiring the river.
This bridge, also known as the "Bridge of Sighs", is located in Yemen. Built in the 17th century, the Shahara Bridge connects two mountains over a deep gorge. There are villages on each mountain, and before the bridge was built, it was very difficult for their inhabitants to communicate with each other.
This bridge is one of the main tourist attractions in Yemen and is featured on the 10 riyals coin.
The Jendere Bridge is located in Turkey. It was built in the 2nd century AD by the Romans. This is one of the longest arched bridges of the era of ancient Rome - its length is about 120 meters. It rests on two rocks and consists of 92 stones. The bridge was created in honor of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, his wife Julia Domna and their sons Caracalla and Geta. On each side of the bridge, there are columns erected in honor of the emperor and his wife (on one side) and their children (on the other). There is currently no column in honor of Geth. When Caracalla came to power, he killed Geth and tried to erase any mention of him - and Geta's column was destroyed.
Anji Bridge is the oldest surviving bridge in China, built in 605 AD. Its name can be translated as "safe passage". At the time, it was the most technically advanced bridge in the country, with the largest arch. Interestingly, modern engineers have appreciated this bridge, it even received awards from the American Society of Engineering. The bridge has survived ten floods, eight wars and a large number of earthquakes, with only nine repairs.
Built by Emperor Hadrian in 136 AD, the Tiber River Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in Rome and one of the most beautiful. It is faced with marble slabs. This bridge leads to the Castel Sant'Angelo, on top of which is the statue of the Archangel Michael. But this is not the only reason why the bridge is called Saint Angel's Bridge. In 1668, the sculptor Lorenzo Bernini decorated the bridge with ten angels. Even after many years, the angels and the bridge are perfectly preserved, making it a great attraction.
This small bridge, made of stone slabs, is located in British Exmoor Park and connects the banks of the Barlo speech. It is difficult to say when it was built, some researchers believe that it could have been created in 3000 BC. There is a local legend that says that this bridge is the creation of the devil himself, who vowed to kill anyone who dares to cross it. They say that initially a cat was allowed to cross the bridge, and he immediately disappeared. Then the locals sent a vicar across the bridge, saying that the devil would not dare to touch the priest.
The devil and the vicar met halfway across the bridge and made an agreement. Anyone can walk on Tarr Steps, but only if the devil does not take sunbathing on the bridge at that moment. So the locals say, "Before you decide to walk the Tarr Steps, make sure that no demons are taking a sun bath at the moment."
Unfortunately, Tarr Steps has undergone some destruction over the centuries. Some of its stones were destroyed by floods, but the bridge is periodically restored, so that it can serve for many more years.
The Arcadiko pedestrian bridge in Greece is the oldest surviving arch bridge. It is assumed that it was built around 1300 BC, that is, it went through a lot before it survives to this day. This bridge is somewhat wider than ordinary pedestrian bridges - about 2.5 meters, perhaps in ancient times chariots drove along it. The bridge is made of huge boulders, without any cementing mortar, but remains unbreakable for thousands of years.
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Bridges are incredibly attractive creations. Each bridge has its own character and history. Some, of course, are not so large-scale and mean something only to the surrounding residents. But there are bridges that have gone down in history. We can talk endlessly about bridges, so we can only show some of the endless variety of these almost living creatures.
We begin our journey in France. The need to build a bridge in Paris became clear in the middle of the 16th century. The structures that existed at that time, already under the influence of active traffic, became decrepit and required replacement. At the same time, on the bridges it was customary to set up craft workshops, trade shops, there were money changers, jewelers, furniture was forged (the best examples of which can be found now). For the first time they started talking about the New Bridge in 1556, construction began in 1578, and was completed in 1607. The main difference was that it was the first bridge with sidewalks and there were no shops or houses on it. By the way, it was this idea of \u200b\u200bthe builder kings that caused the greatest resistance from merchants.
2. Le Viaduc de Millau
The Tarn River cuts France from east to west. As the population grew, the flow in the south-north direction also increased every year, especially in the summer along the highway leading to Spain and southern France. The only crossing over the Tarnot was a bridge in the suburb of Millau. Huge congestion, exhaust emissions - no one got pleasure. And after 10 years of research, the site was chosen for the construction and the cable-stayed bridge across the Tarn was armed. This object broke several records at once. First of all, it is the owner of the highest roadbed (270 m), the viaduct has the highest supports (244.91 m) and supports with pylons (343 m). in addition, this bridge is simply beautiful, its railings are made of translucent materials, which makes it possible for passers-by to enjoy the picturesque views of the Tarn Valley.
Prague's Charles Bridge connected Mala Strana and Star Place at the beginning of the 15th century. Construction began in 1357 by order of Emperor Charles IV. There are 30 sculptures on this unique bridge. There is an interesting belief that it was from the Charles Bridge that Saint John of Nepomutsky was thrown. There is now a cross and a pair of copper nails on the same spot. According to legend, if they touch the cross, then any wish made will come true.
This bridge is difficult to confuse with any other. Tower Bridge was built in just eight years (1886-1894). The carriageway of the bridge can be raised to allow ships to pass. But on top, a suspension bridge was built at a height of 40 m for pedestrians. True, these galleries quickly settled in pickpockets and prostitutes, and after 25 years the authorities closed access to this part of the bridge. Now (since 1982) the galleries are again available to the public as a museum and observation deck. Another interesting point is related to the support towers. In fact, these are metal structures. But on the outside, to protect them from corrosion, they were faced with stone, as a result, the bridge took on such a solid Gothic look.
5. Szechenyi lanchid
The Szechenyi Chain Bridge was the first permanent bridge that connected Pest and Buda. At the time of completion of construction in 1849, it was considered one of the wonders of the world - the bridge had the longest span of 202 meters during the war, the bridge was completely destroyed, and in 1949 it was recreated again. Many legends and anecdotes are associated with the bridge. The stone lions at the entrance to the bridge are especially fond of the inhabitants of Budapest. It was said that they have no languages, although they simply cannot be seen from below due to the high location of the animals. They also say that lions should roar at the moment when a man walks past them, who has never cheated on his wife. What is significant - the lions are still silent ...
6. Ponte di Rialto
Let's continue our journey across the bridges in Italy. Here they know how to handle their history and know what to do even with outdated structures, as in the article. Our first stop in Venice is at the very first bridge over the Grand Canal. The first time this bridge was built of wood in 1255, but during the uprising it was burned down in 1310. The bridge was restored, but in 1444 it could not bear the weight of the crowd and collapsed, then there was a drawbridge option, which also did not survive. And since 1591, the bridge acquired its present form in the hands of the architect Antonio de Ponte. On the Rialto Bridge there are 24 shops with the most expensive Venetian souvenirs now.
7. Ponte dei Sospiri
The equally famous Bridge of Sighs in Venice is a covered structure with a roof and walls. At the beginning of the 17th century, he connected the prison and the Doge's Palace with an interrogation room and a courtroom. The name comes from the suffering of prisoners who could see their hometown for the last time from the windows of the bridge on the way to the prison. Now it is believed that if the lovers swim under the bridge at sunset and kiss, then their passion will be eternal.
8. Ponte Vecchio
Ponte Vecchio in Florence has ancient predecessors. At this place, the first bridge was erected during the time of Ancient Rome, then there were 2 more bridges until this structure was built in 1345. The bridge retains its original shape to this day. By the way, once on the bridge there were shops and houses of butchers, who were replaced by jewelers in the 16th century. Another interesting detail is the corridor above the buildings, which allowed the Grand Dukes to pass freely between their residences: Palazzo Pitti and Palazzo Vecchio.
In just 9 years, Suleiman the Magnificent built this bridge in Mostar across the Neretva. 420 years have passed since the Ottoman occupation and the bridge was still standing. It was destroyed only in 1993, during the Yugoslav conflict. In 2004, the bridge was rebuilt and became a symbol of reconciliation.
10. Chapel Bridge
In Lucerne, Switzerland, the Chapel Bridge is a visiting card. Back in 1365, this wooden bridge was erected, which played a significant role in the city's defensive system. Chapelbrücke is designed as a covered gallery, under the roof of which there were 111 triangular paintings. After a fire in 1993, most of them died, but then they were restored according to the available inventories and photos.
11. Anghel Saligny Bridge
Cernavoda-Fetesti was built in Romania in 1895. At the time of its construction, he held a record of length - 4037 m. The bridge rises above the Danube waters by 30 m and makes it possible for any ships to pass under it. In 1987, a new bridge was erected nearby, and the old one was completely given to tourists.
Erasmus Bridge was built in 1996 in Rotterdam. The design is modern and very unusual. The cable-stayed bridge is 808 m long, with a drawbridge at one end (the heaviest and largest in Western Europe). For its characteristic silhouette, the bridge was named Lebed.
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The ancient Sumerian city of Girsu is located about halfway between the modern cities of Baghdad and Basra in southern Iraq. It is one of the earliest known cities in the world with a history of at least five thousand years. Girsu was the capital of the Lagash kingdom, a sacred metropolis in honor of the Sumerian heroic god Ningirsu, and continued to be its religious center after political power shifted to the city of Lagash.
It was in Girsu that evidence of the existence of the Sumerian civilization was first discovered in the form of thousands of cuneiform tablets with registers of the city's economic, administrative and commercial issues. Over fifty years of excavations at this mega-archaeological site have uncovered some of the most important monuments of Sumerian art and architecture, including a 4,000-year-old brick-built bridge that is the oldest bridge discovered in the world to date.
Girso was first explored by a team of French archaeologists in 1877, even before modern excavation and conservation methods were invented. The French were also not very eager to follow the protocol and paid little attention to the preservation of architectural monuments. The treasure hunters then looted many artifacts and sold them to collectors. An estimated 35,000 to 40,000 items were looted from Girsu and subsequently released to the market, in contrast to the 4,000 official French finds. Without a doubt, this is one of the most unique bridges in the world.
The Girsu Bridge was first discovered in the 1920s. At the time, it was interpreted as a temple, dam and water regulator. Only recently has the structure been identified as a bridge over an ancient waterway. Since excavations almost a century ago, the bridge has remained open and exposed to constant impact, without any effort to preserve the site.
Girsu's modern Arabic name is Tello, and the site is currently being used by the British Museum with financial support from the UK government to train Iraqi archaeologists in cultural heritage management and practical fieldwork skills.
The restoration of the 4,000-year-old bridge will be part of the curriculum, according to a recent statement from the museum.
When we think about buildings that have survived to this day, we tend to think of the Colosseum, the falling tower of Pisa and the pyramids. But what about the structures that are still in use - for their intended purpose?
While most of the ancient structures have received a second life as tourist attractions, an ordinary unassuming bridge can retain its original purpose for centuries.
There are many bridges that were built hundreds of years ago and are still used in everyday life today due to the fact that they were built for centuries.
While old bridges are most often destroyed by natural disasters, blown up in wars, or burned down in tragic disasters, the bridges on this list have survived the centuries relatively unchanged.
10. Pons Fabricius, Rome, Italy
The Romans built a lot that has stood the test of time. Thanks to their rigid and efficient construction method, several important structures from the Roman era stand to this day. If you would like to take a close look and study the fruits of their handicraft, then go to Rome and visit the Fabrice Bridge.
The bridge was built by Lucius Fabrice in 62 BC, probably to replace the burnt wooden bridge. We can say that Lucius ordered it to be built, as he wrote it on the bridge in four different places.
In 21 BC. two consuls, Marcus Lolli and Quintus Aemilius Lepidus, redesigned the bridge to better preserve it after the flood in 23 BC. True, what kind of improvements were made is not indicated anywhere.
Perhaps it was the superstructure of a small arch on the bridge that relieved pressure during floods. This is probably the only thing that helped the bridge to survive over the centuries.
9. Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy
Built in 1345, the Ponte Vecchio is located in Florence, Italy. It was erected to replace the wooden bridge that could not withstand during the flood, therefore it is still preserved in its original splendor.
An interesting feature of the Ponte Vecchio (which means "old bridge" in Italian) is the vaulted gallery with shops. Today, jewelry and various souvenirs are sold here, and initially there were butchers' shops in the passage. Actually, because of the fishmongers and butchers who traded here in the 15th century, the bridge still smells bad.
Considering that at that time Florence was becoming the capital of the Renaissance, Grand Duke Ferdinand I banned the sale of meat and fish on the bridge, ordering that only goldsmiths and silversmiths' shops were located on the bridge, which created an attractive image of the city, contributing to an increase in the flow of wealthy foreign tourists.
The bridge would hardly have survived to this day if it had not been for an act of respect shown during World War II. When the German soldiers left the city, they blew up all the bridges as they retreated. The Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge they have not touched, preferring to destroy access to it rather than himself.
8. Rialto Bridge (Ponte Di Rialto), Venice, Italy
The Italian bridge was erected in 1591 on the site of a collapsed wooden bridge. It was designed by the architect Antonio de Ponte, who, in the face of fierce competition, participated in the competition for the best bridge design along with such outstanding architects as Michelangelo, Palladio, Vignola.
Unfortunately, after the bridge was built, it did not meet with enthusiastic reactions from the locals. It received both praise and contemptuous derision from critics, which strongly condemned its design - "unstable and inelegant". The same attention was drawn to the Eiffel Tower after it was built.
Despite criticism, the bridge has remained largely intact since its inception. Considering that it had to have a 7-meter arch so that galleys could sail under it, and also be strong enough to accommodate a row of shops in the center, it had to be structurally stable and durable. The Rialto Bridge is so strong that cannons were fired from it during the riots in 1797.
7. Khaju Bridge, Isfahan, Iran
The construction of this bridge, erected on the foundations of the old bridge in 1667, began by order of Shah Abbas II. As a bridge, it serves its primary purpose of allowing people to cross the Zayandeh River, but it has other uses as well. The Haju Bridge also functions as a dam (and has sluices), and its most interesting use has a social dimension.
Although we are not used to bridges that should be used as a place for social gatherings, this did not stop Shah Abbas II from trying to build one. Impressive ceramic tile designs and patterns can still be seen along the bridge. A pavilion was built in the middle so that Shah Abbas II and his courtiers could enjoy the picturesque landscape.
Today, the pavilion houses a café and an art gallery. A stone seat was installed in the pavilion, on which Shah Abbas II enjoyed the view of the river. This place is still there, but in the form of remnants of its former glory.
6. Shaharah Bridge, Amran, Yemen
The Shekhar Bridge (or "Bridge of Sighs" as many call it), built in the 17th century, is located at an altitude of 200 meters and connects two mountains - Jabal al-Emir and Jabal al-Faish Faish).
Local residents, whose houses were located on the slopes of both mountains, found it difficult to get to visit each other, since for this they had to first descend from one mountain and climb the other. The bridge was erected to connect the two villages on both sides of the deep gorge, thereby saving local residents' time and effort.
This was not just a dangerous area for vehicles. Considering that this was the only entrance to the city of Shekhara, the bridge had to be fortified to repel the attacks of the Turkish invaders. The locals are said to know a way to destroy the bridge at any moment, isolating the residents from danger.
Today, the Shekhara Bridge is a major tourist attraction and still serves the locals as a working bridge.
5. Cendere Bridge, Eskikale, Turkey
Also known as Severan, the bridge was erected in the 2nd century by the forces of the four cities of the Commagene kingdom. The bridge was built in honor of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, his wife Julia and their two sons - Caracalla and Geta. As one of the oldest, it is also the second longest bridge built by the Romans.
On each side of the bridge, two columns rise, personifying the members of the imperial family: Sever and Julia on the one side and Caracalla and Geta on the other. If you happen to visit the Jendare Bridge, then you will see that the column representing Getu is missing.
This is because Caracalla killed Geta because of constant rivalry, as they say, right in the arms of his mother. Moreover, Caracalla went so far as to order to kill all the friends and allies of Geta, and as a final blow to the legacy of Geta, he ordered the destruction of any mention of his brother so that his name would be erased from history - including the column symbolizing Geta.
4. Anji Bridge, Shijiazhuan, China
The Anji Bridge, built in 605, is the oldest bridge in China. The bridge, the name of which in translation from the Chinese language means "Bridge of safe crossing", can be said to have been built for centuries.
It has been engineered to be one of the finest in the world. At that time, it was considered technically progressive, as it had the largest arch. Considering that it is still quite solid, it is obvious that Anji Bridge, being a very ambitious structure, was not built at the expense of its appearance.
By the way, the bridge has passed much more than just the test of time. It has survived 10 floods, 8 wars and countless earthquakes, and it took only 9 repairs over its documented lifespan.
3. Bridge of the Holy Angel (Ponte Sant'Angelo), Rome, Italy
Built by order of the Emperor Hadrian in 136, the Sant'Angelo Bridge is one of the most famous in Rome and one of the most beautiful.
To some extent, the emperor built the bridge for his own vanity, since its main purpose is to connect the entire city with Hadrian's mausoleum, the Castel Sant'Angelo.
One of the most beautiful improvements to the bridge came many centuries after the death of the emperor. In 1668, Italian architect and sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini adorned the bridge along its entire length with ten statues of angels, two of which he personally created. Each of the angels holds in their hands a symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Even now, after several centuries, the bridge and the angels still stand, being a famous and beautiful landmark.
2. Tarr Steps, Exmoor, England
Tarr Steps (known as "walkways") is a slab ferry on a stone support. Given the construction of the bridge, it is difficult to say when it was built: it is assumed that between 3000 BC. before the Middle Ages. The first documentary description of the bridge was made during the Tudor period, that is, at least at the end of the 15th century.
There is a legend about Tarr Steps that it was built by the devil himself, who vowed to kill everyone who dares to cross it. Then the locals, wanting to test the theory, sent a cat over it. The cat disappeared. Then they sent the vicar across the bridge to meet the devil in the middle of the bridge. After they agreed, the devil said that anyone can use the bridge, but if he wants to use this place for sunbathing, the ban on using the bridge will be renewed. So if you want to cross the Tarr Steps footbridge, first make sure that there is no sunbathing devil in your way.
Unfortunately, Tarr Steps is a small exception among the bridges that have stood untouched for centuries. Given that the pile of stones is not the best foundation, some of them have been torn down over time by floods. For this reason, all the stones were numbered so that in such a case they could be installed back to where they lay, so that the bridge retains its authenticity. Despite the fact that some of the stones have already been re-installed several times, it is technically still the same bridge.
1. Arkadiko Bridge, Argolina, Greece
This bridge is the oldest surviving arch bridge, which is still used for its intended purpose. It is believed to have been built during the Greek Bronze Age, 1300-1200. BC.
During the Mycenaean civilization, the bridge was part of the military road that ran between the cities of Tiryns and Epidauros. The bridge is almost 2.5 meters wide, which is much wider than conventional pedestrian bridges. According to historians, the bridge was designed in such a way that chariots could pass over it.
What makes it even more impressive is that it was built entirely from limestone stones without the use of any binder. This means that the Arkadik bridge, solely thanks to the skill of its builders, has stood for three millennia, starting from the time of the Mycenaean civilization, and has survived to this day.
The history of wooden bridge building in our country has not yet been the subject of special study. Only the most brief mentions and simple lists of monuments in general works and popular essays devoted to the history of bridge construction in general and Russian wooden architecture are devoted to this topic. In this article, an attempt is made to systematize Russian wooden bridges of historically formed and currently existing types.
Short story. The art of building bridges has been highly developed since ancient times. The main building material was pine due to the straightness and evenness of the trunk, good mechanical properties of wood and resistance to decay, as well as wide distribution. Ancient bridges, like other structures, were chopped and worked with an ax: grooves and nests were cut out when the beams were bundled; even the making of the wood was done by splitting logs lengthwise into several parts with wedges. Therefore, the chroniclers, speaking of the construction of wooden buildings or structures, used the word “cut down” instead of the word “build”: they chopped down huts, mansions, bridges, etc.
The first mentions of bridges in Russian chronicles date back to the end of the 10th century. The improvement of the art of building caused the emergence of a special kind of specialists - the builders of bridges and crossings, called "bridges". The first bridges were trees thrown from shore to shore, and ferry rafts were set up on large rivers. Several interconnected rafts, on top of which a log deck was laid, formed a "living", floating bridge. They were common on large rivers.
In 1115, under Vladimir Monomakh, a floating bridge across the Dnieper was built in Kiev. Since the floating bridges were quickly built and easily disassembled, they played an important role in military operations. There are two such bridges across the Volga, mentioned in reports about the siege of Tver under Dmitry Donskoy, another bridge for crossing the Don during the battle with the Tatars in 1380. The first bridges of Moscow were "alive": Moskvoretsky, Krymsky, etc. It should be noted that that floating bridges were widely used in Russia until the end of the 19th century. The main reason for this was the considerable width and depth of the rivers, as well as the strong ice drift; under such conditions, floating bridges without permanent supports seemed to be the most appropriate, simple and cheap structures.
1. Moskvoretsky "live" - \u200b\u200bfloating bridge. 17th century Picard engraving. (Photo library of the State Research Institute of the Academy named after Shchusev)
2. One-span bridge in the city of Yeniseisk at the end of the 19th century.
3. Cantilever-beam bridge with an arched span on the river. These things of the Arkhangelsk region. (photo from 1920, Photo library of the Shchusev State Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences)
Floating bridges could also be movable; for the passage of ships, one part of the bridge (raft) was taken to the side. An engraving by Picard of the 17th century gives an idea of \u200b\u200bthe floating drawbridge Moskvoretsky bridge, which existed already in 1498. (Fig. 1) and a figurative description of Pavel Aleppsky: “There are several bridges on the Moscow River, most of which are approved on wooden piles. The bridge near the Kremlin, opposite the gates of the second city wall, excites great surprise: it is flat, made of large wooden beams, fitted one to the other and tied with thick ropes of lime bark, the ends of which are attached to the towers and to the opposite bank of the river. When the water arrives, the bridge rises, because it is not supported by pillars, but consists of planks lying on the water, and when the water recedes, the bridge descends. When a ship with supplies for the palace arrives from the Kazan and Astrakhan regions ... from Kolomna ... to the bridges approved (on piles), then its mast is lowered and the ship is led under one of the spans; when they approach the mentioned bridge, then one of the connected parts of it is freed from the ropes and taken out of the way of the ship, and when it passes to the side of the Kremlin, then again that part (of the bridge) is brought in its place. There are always a lot of ships that bring all kinds of supplies to Moscow ... On this bridge there are shops where brisk trade takes place; there is a lot of movement on it; we constantly go there for a walk ... troops are constantly moving back and forth along it. All city maids, servants and commoners come to this bridge to wash their clothes in the river, because the water is high here, on a level with the bridge. " The Moskvoretsky "living" bridge was located opposite the Water Gate of the Kitay-Gorod wall; in the second half of the 18th century. it was replaced by a wooden bridge on stilts.
Drawbridges were used in the fortifications. The first annalistic indications of their structure date back to 1229: “... both the construction bridge and the Zaravets vozhgosha ...”, the Ipatiev Chronicle reports. The span, adjacent to the city wall, was made lifting and was called an erection bridge. The mechanism that sets the bridge in motion consisted of a rocker arm rotating between pillars (zheravtsy) and chains. In the XVI century. the bridges of the Kremlin - Konstantino-Yeleninsky, Spassky, Nikolsky - were connected with a sluice system regulating the filling of the ditch with water from the Neglinnaya River, and had a wooden lifting structure adopted for fortresses. In the XVII century. The Trinity Bridge had a lifting part.
Strengthening bridges. In the middle - additional foundations. At the bottom - with the appropriate direction of the load with the help of wheel deflectors (1 and 2) and reinforcement of the deck (3 and 4).
The types of bridges described above, by their design, are referred to as movable bridges. Permanent bridges were a fundamentally different type. Depending on the number of supports on which the spans rested, they differed into single-span or multi-span ones. Bridges on "rowing" belong to the ancient type of single-span bridges, the first mention of them dates back to 977: in Vruchia "bridge over rowing". Rowing took place in wide floodplains of rivers and was a kind of dirt road. In the middle part, a slot was left for the construction of a single-span bridge, the abutments of which were log pillars filled with earth and stone. Probably, rowing could also consist of solid log cabins with a slot in the middle part. At the end of the XIX century. LF Nikolai, analyzing the drawings of wooden bridges, measured on the Arkhangelsk tract in 1795, came to the conclusion: "A similar method of crossing wide river floodplains is still used ...". Bridges of the late 19th - early 20th centuries had a similar design. in the city of Yeniseisk (Fig. 2) and on the river. This is in the Arkhangelsk region (Fig. 3). The sequentially protruding logs of the bank abutments formed an almost arched structure. To prevent the bridge from floating up during floods, cobblestones were laid along the edges of the deck.
In the case when several holes were left in the frame for the entire height of the fence, a multi-span bridge with supports in the form of cages or gorodni was obtained (Subsequently, such supports were called ryazhs or bulls). To ensure the required degree of immobility and non-floatability, gorod-houses, as a rule, were heaped up with stones. On top of the gorodny, in the longitudinal direction, girders from logs were laid, in turn, on them in the transverse direction, a continuous roll of logs was laid - the flooring of the roadway. The carpenters were required to create a solid support for the roadway, which at the same time could withstand the rapid flow of water during the spring flood. These tasks were complicated by the fact that the bridges reached significant sizes.
The Novgorodians were famous for the skill of the woodworkers. The famous Great Bridge over the river. The Volkhov had supports in the form of gorodni and was built obliquely across the river (the width of the Volkhov near Novgorod is about 250 m). Under 1133 in the Novgorod First Chronicle it is reported: "In the same summer, I renovated the bridge of the Volkhovo River, and destroyed it." Since this date, the chronicles systematically report the damage to the city bridge by floods, storms, ice drifts. There is a miniature of Nikon's facial chronicle of the 16th century, which depicts the Great Bridge, where the execution of the strigolniks takes place in 1375.
Bridges, in addition to their main purpose - crossings over any obstacle, were used as street markets. On the Moskvoretsky bridge, which was mentioned above, there were shops. Resurrection bridge on the river. Neglinke was a brick multi-span structure covered with a wooden pavement, and was built up on both sides with two rows of chopped wooden trade shops. It was located at the Resurrection Gate of Kitai-Gorod and gave an exit from the city to Red Square near the present Historical Museum.
Stone and wooden bridges were logical in the system of the Kremlin's defensive structures. To prevent enemies from crossing the bridge, it was enough to dismantle or even burn the wooden deck of the bridge. Then he easily recovered.
Changes in the country's economy caused by the reforms of Peter I had a positive impact on the development of bridge construction. The construction of the capital at the mouth of the Neva required the construction of a large number of crossings in a relatively short time. The first bridge of the new city, built in 1705, was floating. Instead of rafts, pontoons were used there. Such bridges were built in St. Petersburg throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the most notable of which was St. Isaac's. Simultaneously with floating bridges, permanent bridges were built on pile supports through the canals. It is interesting to note the fact that at this time wooden bridges were often built according to "samples", that is, typical standard drawings. By 1748 in St. Petersburg there were about 40 wooden bridges, about half of which had drawbridges. On the river Fontanka, according to the project of V.V. Rastrelli, an aqueduct was built, which, using a special machine, supplied water to the fountains of the Summer Garden.
An outstanding achievement of Russian technical thought in the 18th century. was the project of I.P. Kulibin. It was proposed to block the Neva with a huge wooden arch with a span of 294 m.
The most important and complex engineering and technical structure among bridges are dam bridges, which are functionally connected with the whole system of hydraulic structures. Since the end of the 17th century. the construction of waterways of national importance began, such as the Vyshne-Volotskaya, Tikhvin, Mariinsky systems. All hydraulic structures of these systems were wooden. Views of dams and bridges of the Mariinsky system have been preserved in the Vytegorsk Museum of Local Lore. The dam of St. Paul (at the same time it served as a bridge), located on the river. Vytegra near the village. Nine, had a ridge stepped discharge, the difference in heights of the heights of the pool (Bief is a section of the river between two neighboring dams on the river) was 8.5 m. The Anninsky swing bridge on the river was of considerable interest. Kovzha, it existed from 1810 to 1896. The middle pillar of the bridge had a swivel mechanism that could rotate along with the bridge spans at 90 °, allowing oncoming ships to freely pass from both sides. Until 1961 in the town of Vytegra on the connecting canal there was a drawbridge. It was built on pile supports. The middle part of the bridge had two lifting parts of the span of different sizes. With the introduction of the Volga-Baltic waterway, the Mariinsky system was reconstructed with the replacement of wooden hydraulic structures with concrete ones.
Extensive construction of highways and then railways in the 19th century. led to the rise of bridge construction. A wide variety of structural systems of superstructures appeared: braced, arched, trusses, etc. The issues of engineering construction in Russia of this period are beyond the scope of this article and deserve special consideration. With the introduction of new building materials (cast iron, concrete, steel, etc.), wooden bridges were gradually displaced, and then in the central part of the USSR, their almost complete disappearance.
Modern wooden bridge construction... In the North of the USSR, wooden bridge building has received the most striking and multifaceted development. The stability of northern life contributed to the transmission of the building skills of folk architects from generation to generation, therefore, to this day, samples of wooden bridges of various types have been preserved here. What are the varieties of bridges that have survived and are currently under construction, what are their technical and design features?
Wooden bridges experience great physical and atmospheric influences, therefore, more often than other structures, they are subjected to bulkheads or individual parts replacement, but at the same time, the original forms and structural basis remain the same, formed from the river regime and operating conditions. Thanks to these features, bridges, unlike other structures, retain their original forms, which date back to distant times.
The easiest way of communication between the shores is ferry crossings. They are used for low traffic volumes. The raft, or pontoon, ferry moves manually along a rope, slung from shore to shore along the river bottom or over water. For example, in the Arkhangelsk region on the rivers Onega and Moshe, ancient ferry crossings have been preserved, which are used today. In cases where the construction of a bridge on permanent supports is expensive and cannot be justified by the cargo turnover, floating bridges are used. With a high water horizon, all the rafts of such a bridge are afloat, with a low horizon, some of the rafts near the coast rest on the bottom of the river. With the onset of winter, these raft bridges have to be disassembled and removed to backwaters, protected from floods and ice drifts. In this case, the communication between the banks for the winter period occurs on ice. In Kargopol across the river. A pontoon bridge has been thrown over to Onegu. In more remote areas, raft floating bridges have been preserved - in the village. Korovino on the r. Kene and pos. Ust-Pocha in the Plesetsk district of the Arkhangelsk region.
4. Bridges in the village. Purnema, Arkhangelsk region a - a new bridge (1969), the solid structure of the bridge was not brought to the slope of the ravine; b - the old bridge (1927) has a solid log structure with the laying of logs "in dir"
5. A cantilever-girder single-span bridge from a bar in the village. Gridino, Karelia
6. An ancient bridge with supports from rectangular log cabins in the village of Verkhovskaya, the Komi Republic (Photo by I. N. Shurgin)
7. Bridge with two triangular log cabins in the village. Stupino Arch. region
Narrow obstacles such as ravines and rivers are blocked by solid bridges. They consist of end-to-end rows of log cabins (ryazh frame), connected in the transverse direction by the same rows of logs, forming a monolithic structure. Such a construction, for example, has been preserved in the Arkhangelsk region on Kenozero in the village of Tarasovo. Ancient bridge in the village. Purnema in the Arkhangelsk region (Fig. 4, b) is built through a deep ravine (8 m); its flooring lies on a solid cage-covered frame that fills the ditch to the very bottom. This method of felling "in dir" (It is necessary to distinguish the concept of a cricket or crib support from cutting "in dir". Ryazh is the accepted name for the construction of a bridge support. "Rezh" is a method of laying logs with passes) protects the bridge from decay and allows skip spring waters. A hole is left in the middle part for free passage of water. The bridge has already fallen into disrepair, its edges have sunk, as the coast of the slope is sandy. In 1969, next to the old bridge, a new one, similar in design, was built, but the ryazh frame was not brought to the end of the ditch (Fig. 4, a). The new wooden bridge is also of considerable interest.
The most common type of bridge for small rivers are single-span girder bridges, such as those in Ust-Tsilma, Komi ASSR. To increase the span between the supports, a cantilever-beam structure is used - sequentially protruding logs of coastal abutments. Such a bridge in the village. Gridino of the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Fig. 5) was built across a turbulent, rocky river, its foundations are littered with boulders.
On wider rivers, multi-span bridges are arranged, this is achieved by the introduction of intermediate supports: pile, ridge. With rocky or muddy soil, ridge supports are arranged, having different shapes of log cabins: three-, four-, pentahedral and more complex.
Rectangular log cabins are simpler and more ancient pillars. In the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, in the village of Verkhovskaya (Ust-Tsilmsky District), a bridge is built across the Domashny stream (Fig. 6), the deck of which, without a fence, lies on four rectangular bull cages. Logs of log cabins are processed with an ax, laid “in the cut” and have large outlets.
In the Arkhangelsk region, in the village of Stupino (Nyandomsky district), in 1967 a bridge was measured, the intermediate abutments of which have a triangular shape (Fig. 7), and the frame of the bulls is set at an angle opposite the river flow.
On rivers with ice drift, ryazhs of a pentahedral shape are arranged. A triangular appendage is cut to the rectangular frame of the bull, which acts as an ice cutter. Wooden bridges with this form of log cabins are the most widespread and can reach significant sizes. In with. Shueretskoe of the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Fig. 8) the bridge has eleven bulls, and its length is 150 m. Ryagovo (Kargopolye) with a bridge length of more than 100 m, the ryazh height reaches 8 m (Fig. 9). (A new concrete bridge has been built nearby today.)
As a rule, ryazh bridges have the original foundation of log cabins, since the tree remains in the water for centuries. When replacing or rebuilding the top of the supports, their shapes are repeated. There are many similar bridges in the Arkhangelsk region in the direction of Krechetovo-Kargopol-Oshevensk on the rivers Ukhta, Tikhmanga, Lekshma, Churyega. With the same design solutions, each of them has its own unique architectural and artistic image (Fig. 10).
8. The longest of the preserved wooden bridges (150 m) in the village. Shueretskoe, Karelia
9. Razhevoy bull of the bridge in the village. Ryagovo reaches a height of 8 m. (Arch. Region)
North of Oshevensk, in the place where the river. Churyega flows into the river. Kenu, in the XV century. The Kenoretsky Monastery was founded, which reached its heyday in the late 17th - early 18th centuries. By this time there are large land acquisitions on both sides of the river. Kenes. In 1764 the monastery was abolished, in 1800 a fire destroyed its buildings. The only witnesses of that time are two ryazh bridges: in the village of Leshino (now the village of Kenoretskaya) (Fig. 11) and three kilometers downstream of the river, in the village of Pelugino.
According to the old Russian tradition, at the entrance to the Peluginsky bridge, on the lofty-minded bank, there was a chapel on the basement, with a hipped belfry above the entrance, surrounded by a gallery (now it has been transported to the Arkhangelsk Museum of Wooden Architecture "Malye Karely").
Back in 1946, an expedition of the Institute of History and Theory of Architecture of the Academy of Architecture of the USSR surveyed Kargopolye. One of the most important results of her work was the measurements of the Ken bridges, carried out by A.V. Opolovnikov. In 1982, the author of the article carried out a second survey and measurements, which showed that, despite the almost complete replacement of the building material, the shape and structure of the bridges did not change. Perfected over the centuries, these shapes have proven to be very stable.
The constructive basis of the Ken bridges is the same. The five-span bridge near the village of Leshino is 114 m long, the four-span bridge near the village of Pelugino is 84 m long. Their design is unique, each middle ryazh consists of a rectangular log house with a triangular and trapezoidal cut protruding in its lower part; so that all the outlines of the plan resemble the shape of a boat. The bottom here is rocky, the flow of the river is very fast, so the ryazha frame is littered with boulders. To eliminate the resulting tension and to evenly fill the bull with boulders in the transverse and longitudinal directions at different levels, the log cabins have a bandage of crowns that form a system of internal triangular "pockets". The upper four-sided base of the bull forms fellings on the logs, which makes it possible to increase the spans up to 15 m.
12. Ryazhevoy bridge with a triangular shape on the river. Keme (Vologda region) Combination of folk traditions and engineering techniques (Photo by O. Sevan)
Unlike civil structures, bridges have no shell - walls, ceilings that hide the supporting structure. Therefore, the structural system of bridges remains open and forms the basis of the architectural composition. Bridges are rarely subjected to artistic processing, their architectural expressiveness is achieved by the boldness of design solutions, the originality of the spatial composition and various methods of wood processing. The most interesting engineering and architectural structure is the bridge across the river. Kema in the Vytegorsky district of the Vologda region. Its distinctive feature - a triangular log truss - significantly enriches the volumetric composition: it is arranged “in a spacer” in the deeper part of the river, which allows to increase the span (Fig. 12). Another example is the bridge in the village. Umba of the Murmansk region. Its bright artistic expressiveness is achieved by the log struts of the spans and the X-shaped framing of the bridge handrails (Fig. 13).
Any wooden bridge, having its own special artistic image, is also part of the environment: landscape or residential buildings. In the Osheven complex of villages located along the Churyega and Halui rivers, wooden bridges are an important element of the planning structure and, together with unique religious, residential and outbuildings, form a harmonious whole.
The town of Belomorsk (formerly the village of Soroka) can be considered a kind of "reserve" of wooden bridges. The old part of the city is built of wood and has no unique architectural monuments, but the nature itself has made it unusually picturesque. When it flows into the White Sea, the Vyg River overcomes many rapids and, overflowing for several kilometers, forms about forty islands, on which the village of Soroka was once located. In these natural conditions, bridges have become a necessary element of intracity communication. On a relatively small old territory of the city, there are about twenty of them (Fig. 14). Unfortunately, several bridges were lost, the longest among them (over 300 m) was replaced by a concrete one. But all the existing bridges, merging with the space of the river, and buildings, together with the rapids, have created a unique image of this city.
The idea of \u200b\u200bwooden bridge building at the present time would be incomplete, if we do not note some surviving types of purely "engineering" bridges, among which the most widely used are beam bridges with pile supports of various combinations with frame and brace systems. Multi-span beam bridge on the r. Tartas in the Novosibirsk region (50s of the XX century) has a two- and four-row system of pile supports (Fig. 15). In the transverse direction, the legs of the support frame have diagonal fights, and the entire structure of the supports is fastened with steel bolts and pins. The girders are laid on the supports, in turn on them - the flooring of the roadway. The length of the bridge is 66 m. Ice cutters 11 m long are arranged in front of the middle supports.
An important component of a pile and frame bridge is wooden ice cutters. To protect the supports and superstructures from the shock of ice floes, ice cutters are not tied to the bridge supports. Narrow supports are protected by flat ice cutters with one or two rows of piles. With wide supports, tent ice cutters are used, consisting of several rows of piles. Ice floes approaching the ice cutter, under the influence of inertia forces and water pressure, rise along it and break under their own weight.
Until now, there are still wooden bridges with trusses, which have been widely used since the middle of the 19th century. Spans with trusses of Gau-Zhuravsky are the most common construction of wooden bridges. Such a bridge was built in 1967 on the river. Moshe in the Arkhangelsk region (Fig. 16). Spans with trusses with a ride on the bottom blocked the channel spans of the bridge (design span 31.5 m). The outermost spans are covered with spans of a simple beam system with two-tiered purlins. The length of the bridge is 146 m. \u200b\u200bThe channel pile supports are protected by free-standing hipped-roof ice cutters.
Another type is bridges with a brace system. In the Plesetsk district of the Arkhangelsk region there is a wooden overpass (a bridge designed to pass one road over another), built in 1939 on the Plesetsk-Kargopol highway, which passes over the local railway, forming an oblique intersection of 42 °. The three-span bridge has frame supports on a plank base (Fig. 17). The two middle supports are completed with a combined brace system, which made it possible to make a middle span. The design of the overpass is typical for bridge structures of the 19th - early 20th centuries. and now almost never occurs. Despite the fact that the bridge is in good condition, it is threatened with destruction.
Currently, there is one more type of single-span bridges - suspension bridges found in the Arkhangelsk region. The bridge in Papinskaya village, Konosha district (Fig. 18) has the following structure: on both banks of the river there are two log cabins with passage gates in the upper level, metal cables are stretched along the top and bottom of the frame openings, fixed to the ground with metal crutches. Along the entire length of the bridge, the upper and lower cables are interconnected by wooden bars (acting as suspensions), and a wooden deck is laid on the lower cables. On both sides of the log cabins, boardwalks are laid. On the river Emtse in the village. Yemets of the Arkhangelsk Region, the suspension bridge of the hydrometeorological service was built in 1928 (see the 4th side of the cover). The uncomplicated structure creates a beautiful silhouette against the background of the river, giving lightness to the entire structure. Suspension bridges, widely used since the middle of the 19th century, are now rare.
Wooden engineering bridges were the forerunners of steel and concrete structures and played a certain historical role in their time. It seemed that with the development of professional engineering bridge construction, with the introduction of various new structural systems - strut, arched, hanging, etc. - they had to finally replace ryazhnye, people's bridges, to oust them. However, this did not happen.
People's wooden bridges, having a long history, are examples of the sustainability of the architectural form, which have been precisely worked out by many generations of builders, carpenters, and folk architects.
In our age of technological progress, the widespread replacement of wooden bridges with modern steel and concrete ones leads to the disappearance of this type of structures in some places. At the same time, in the North of the USSR and in Siberia, where timber is the main building material, they continue to build wooden bridges, especially since wood is a cheap building material that allows quick procurement and processing, allows construction to be carried out in the shortest possible time. Wooden bridge structures, reflecting the ancient culture of the Russian people, provide a link between times and generations; they are of practical importance even today and are a valuable contribution to the cultural heritage of our Motherland.
8. Laskovsky FF Materials for the history of engineering art in Russia. SPb., 1858. Part 1.
9. Novgorod's first chronicle of the elder and younger versions of M .; L., 1950.
10. Punin AL The Story of the Leningrad Bridges. L., 1971.
11. Zabella S. Kargopol expedition. - In the book: Architectural heritage. M., 1955, No. 5.
