26. Реки и каналы сПб

SPb has over 80 rivers and canals which divided it into 42 islands. The total length of the rivers and canals is about 300 km. There is a great number of bridges in the city – about 500 (about 300 within the city’s limits and 21 are draw bridges). The rivers and canals of SPb make up about 10% of the city’s total area.

The Moika River

It had been the city’s southern boundary till 1709 the Moika is about 5 km long. The earliest houses built on the river banks were small wooden dwalings of naval officers and shipbuilders who worked at the nearby shipyard. That was a curious project with a Moika, which dates from the mid 19 century. At that time the first railroad was built and according to that project. The river was filled in and the railway was to be built there – fortunately it didn’t happen.

The New Holland

The New Holland is an architectural ensemble the name goes back to the early 18 century. Peter I ordered to built store houses (склады) on the island for storing logs (timber - бревна) in a vertical position for the shipyards Peter gave the name New Holland to the island, because it remained Peter I about his days spent in Holland.

Поцелуев (kissing) bridge

It was originally built in 1738 as a wooden pedestrian bridge (пешеходный). In the early 19 century it was rebuilt in cast-iron. Later, in the early 20 century – it was rebuilt in iron and made wider. The name dates from the early 19 century and illegibly (по преданию) it was called so because it was a famous gathering place of the lovers, they came there to kiss. But by another legend there used to be a tavern nearby which was own by merchant Поцелуев and his tavern called “Поцелуй”.

In the house at Большая Морская 61 – Lomonosov used to live. In the 19 century this building was turned into a place for keeping past coaches (почтовые кареты) that time the only means of delivering past across the country. The post coaches lost their significance after the first rail broad had been built.

Post Office Bridge

It reminds of the time when post office used to be here. It has early fancy design. It is one of the earliest handing bridges in SPb.

Lantern Bridge (фонарный)

It was built in 1970-s instead of the early 20^th century bridge. It probably owes (обязан) its name to the nearby lantern lane, running of the Moika. The name goes back to the early 19 century – although its origin is unclear; there was an interesting coincidence: at that time many buildings in the street housed brothels (бордели), decorated with red lanterns, which were their usual emblems. The local landlords appealed to the municipal council with a request to rename the lane. It was passed over to the tsar and the tsar quit reasonably wrote that if the land owners wee shocked by the red lantern on their propriety they should not let it to brothels. The land preserved its original name.

Blue Bridge

The widest bridge in the city, about 100 m wide. It’s one-span (одно пролетный) cast – iron bridge. The bridge was called after the color of the railings (решетки). A few bridges similar in design were built across the Moika in the early 19 century.

Red bridge

It was one of those bridges which were named due to the color of railings. The cast iron bridge was built here in the early 19 century.

Green Bridge

It was been of wood in the early 18 century, was reconstructed several time and finally it was built that in 1883 one of the first power stations (электростанция) of SPb was installed on a wooden barge moored 30 m down the river. The station consisted of some steam locomotives and dynamos and was ment to illuminate Newsky; it functioned till the end of the 19 century.

Choir Bridge (певческий мост)

Choir Bridge was built according to the standard design in the 1830-s. It used to be called yellow bridge. The railing is cast iron and resembles (напоминает) a lace work (кружева). The bridge is very wide. It is 72 m long and it is called after the choir hall (капелла) located nearby. The history of the choir hall goes back to the 16 century, when a Royal Choir of 30-35 men was formed at the court of Ivan the Terrible. The choir performed at the ceremony of the foundation of Peter and Paul Fosters and when SPb became a capital city a choir was moved from Moscow. At that time there were 60 singers in the choir. And Peter often sings a bass part in the choir. One of the choir boys were Alexey Razumovsky, who was secretary married on Elisabeth. The choir was erected by Леонтии Бенуа in the 1880-s.

Winter canal

It was dug out (выкопан) in 1718 to connect the Moika and the Neva. It owes the name (обязан именем) to the first two Winter Palaces of Peter the I which used to be here. The New Hermitage was built by Leo van Clenze in the mid 19 ……to house the growing collection of the Hermitage.

Hermitage Bridge

Across the Winter Palace is the earliest stone bridge in SPb, was built in 1760-s.

The Neva

It is 74 km (over 30 km within the city limits). It issues from the lake Ladoga and flows west-trend into the Gulf of Finland to the Baltic Sea. The widest part of the Neva is at the gate of the commercial part, it’s about 1250 m. The narrowest part which is 340 m between Palace Bridge a Lieutenant Smitt Bridge. The deepest place is 24 m, but there are shallow places – 6 m deep. The biggest islands of the delta of the Neva are Vasilievsky (1090 hectares), Petrogradskay (570 h), Krestovsky (420 h). The Neva freezes in Winter Palace. The normal date of freezing is November 25 or December 5. However in 1805 the river froze down on the 28 of October and on the 20 of January in 1952. The normal date of break up is April 9-11; however, in 1938 the river broke up on the 16 of March and in 1810 on the 12 of May.

Peter the I conceived the Neva as the main thoroughfare of the city. The city was built simultaneously (at the some time) on both banks of the river and is the only European city with a of the river were the river was originally included in the whole architectural ensemble. Peter was fond of boat trips, he would announced the date in the advance and on those days every resident of SPb had to bring their boats to Peter and Paul Fortress. The boats than formed a floatilia heated by the Royal boat steared (управлять) by Peter I himself and sailed down the Neva river into the Gulf of Finland as far as the summer Residence in Strelina (Константиновский palace - nowadays), where a nice meal was waiting for participants of the trip. An addict issued by Peter the Great banned (запрещал) the construction of the bridges across the Neva and every resident of the city received a boat free from the government.

Foutain River

It issues from the Neva and forms a bow (дуга) around the city center and flows into the Neva again at the Gulf of Finland. Its name goes to the early 18 century when the water from the river was used to feed the fountains of the Summer Gardens – the oldest public garden in Russia. The river is 6,7 km long. It is 35 to 70 m wide and from 2,6 to 3,5 m deep. The River was the city’s boundary till the mid 18 century. The left bank was a forest which was famous for the robbers, who mugged (нападали) passersby (проезжие) and travelers, so the owners of the country houses of the left bank were ordered to cut for hitting there. The river embankment was covered with granite – during Catherine II reining. In 1887 the first regular river steamboats (пароходики) started to run down the Fountain River. Water transport was very popular in SPb. In 1912 the boats running down the Neva and the Fountain River carried a total of 5,6 million people, which is was big as a population of the city.

Laundry Bridge (прачечный)

It is oldest 3 span bridge of the city. Its name is due to the court laundry, which used to be located on the left bank.

Bridge built in 1760-s is about 41 m long. It has been preserved till nowadays.

Saint-Pantileimon Bridge (1908-1912)

It is decorated with military amours

First Engineer Bridge

This one – span bridge across the Moika owes its name to the engineer’s castle, located nearby. The bridge was built in the late 1820-s. The railing of the bridge is decorated with the shields (щиты) with a head of Medusa Goruna.

Swan canal

It connects the Moika to the Neva. The first bridge on the right hand side is lower Swan Bridge. It was built in the 1830-s and reconstructed in 1985.

Stone Garden Bridge (straight ahead)

It was built in the 1830-s. It was reconstructed in the early; 20 century the cast iron railings are decorated shields and round spires.

The Griboedov Canal

Which each joined to the Moika. It was dug (вырыт) in 1739 to drain a swamp (болото). It used to be called the stables canal, later Ekaterininsky canal, because of the stable’s building (королевские конюшни) located nearby.

Small Stable Bridge

It was built in 1720-s, rebuilt in 1820

House number 3 (on the right hand side) (right)