99. Ekatirnigofski Bridge across the Ekateringofka River 9.22.2014

Ekatirnigofski Bridge across the Ekateringofka River 9.22.2014

Translated from opeterburge.ru:
Ekateringofsky Bridge (Екатерингофский мост), formerly Riga Bridge, crosses the Ekateringofka river in alignment of Riga avenue and leading to Gutuevsky island.

This bridge was built in the years 1910-1914, with the direct participation of the Company Putilov Works. This construction enabled the communication Gutuevsky island with the mainland, and was proposed by the St. Petersburg commercial port with the support of the Ministry of Trade. Interestingly, the Ekateringofsky bridge wasn't commissioned until March 1917, due to the Civil War.

The Ekateringofsky bridge construction involved the American «Sherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company». Engineers AP Pshenitsky and DY Akimov-Peretz supervised the work. The bridge was called Galician, after the victories of the Russian army in Galicia, during the First World War. This eloquent and pathetic name did not last, and in 1920 it was given the official name - Ekateringofsky.

Ekateringofsky was erected as a single-span bridge. It has a metal structure, with an inclination to the axis of the river bed at an angle of 75 degrees. It is a stocked Diptera draw span, with a horizontal drop-down. In the closed position the bridge truss draw span wings were connected with each other by means of the lock. Ekateringofsky bridge was the only single-span drawbridge in St. Petersburg. It's foundations are made from rubble and granite stone. The bridge is 66.8 meters long and 21 meters wide.

During the Great Patriotic War, in 1941, the explosion of bombs shifted and turned one of the pillars of the bridgedeforming one of draw span wings. The "wounded" bridge continued to carry out its crossing functions, until 1950. Between 1950-1952 the bridge was reconstructed.

The architecture of modern Ekateringofsky bridge, which has lost its movable structures, suggests elements of Art Nouveau and Gothic. Within the granite tower raised far above the top of the bridge, there is a pavilion with an adjustable control mechanism, and beautiful panorama.