Novo-Moskovski Bridge

“Is that cast iron I see?” a curious voice piped up from the crowd gathered before the Novo-Moskovski Bridge. The Novo-Moskovski Bridge, spanning the Obvodny Canal, has seen its fair share of transformations. Its history goes back to the early 19th century, a time when St. Petersburg was embracing new architectural marvels. Between 1808 and 1816, the first permanent crossing over the canal was erected. It became the Novo-Moskovski Bridge, named for its position along the Moskovsky Tract. This wasn’t just any bridge. It was a pioneering structure, one of the earliest cast iron arch bridges in the city. Engineer V.I. Haste designed and built this marvel, using cast iron sections bolted together, a technique similar to that used for bridges across the Moyka River. The Novo-Moskovski Bridge wasn’t static. It evolved with the city. As trams and trolleybuses became part of St. Petersburg’s bustling life, the bridge expanded, adding supports to accommodate the new traffic. By 1961, time and stress had taken their toll. The cast iron arches, now bearing cracks, required reinforcement with additional metal structures. The city’s growth demanded more. A new highway planned for the right bank of the Obvodny Canal necessitated a wider bridge and a transport tunnel. Between 1965 and 1967, the Novo-Moskovski Bridge underwent a complete transformation. Engineer P.P. Ryazantsev and architect L.A. Noskov designed a new single-span concrete structure, a full 47 meters wide. The project included a tunnel under Moskovsky Prospect, the first of its kind in Leningrad, created to improve the flow of traffic around the bridge and canal. The bridge’s superstructure is a marvel of engineering. It features a three-hinged reinforced concrete frame. The frame’s crossbeam, assembled from prefabricated concrete blocks of varying heights, sits atop monolithic concrete legs, partially faced with granite. Massive concrete abutments, supported by a low-grid pile foundation made of 28cm diameter wooden piles, anchor the structure. Ornate cast iron railings add a touch of elegance to the bridge’s modern design. Even in recent times, the Novo-Moskovski Bridge has continued to adapt. In 2006, it received updates, including a new safety island, galvanized railings on the sidewalk descents, and fresh asphalt paving. The Novo-Moskovski Bridge stands as a testament to St. Petersburg’s continuous evolution, a blend of historical significance and modern functionality.