48. First Winter Bridge across the Winter Canal 9.21.2014

First Winter Bridge across the Winter Canal (with the Hermitage Bridge in the background) 9.21.2014

Translated from Russian Wikipedia:
1st Winter Bridge (1-й Зимний мост, formerly German, Million) - connects the 1st and 2nd Admiralty Islands over the Winter Canal in the Central District of St. Petersburg. Is in alignment with Million street.

From the middle of the 18th century the wooden girder bridge was named for the German settlement in the area. When the stone bridge was assembled it was called the million.

The first wooden drawbridge at this place had was in the years 1718-1720, immediately after digging Zimnedvortsovogo channel at the Winter Palace of Peter I. In the middle of the 18th century it was replaced by a wood-beamed three span bridge.

The modern bridge was originally built over the the Red channel in 1768 by TI Nassonov, and architects J. L. Rossi and YM Felten. The bridge has solid granite parapets instead of grates. After the Red channel was filled in between 1783-1785, the bridge was dismantled and moved here to the Winter Canal.

Features of the bridge:
•The bridge has been preserved from the XVIII century, without any alterations.
•The abutments of the bridge rubble are faced with granite.
•The guardrails of the bridge are solid granite parapets.
•Near the bridge there is a descent to the Winter Canal.
•The New Hermitage stands near the bridge.
•The bridge is part of the ensemble of the Palace Square.