Drawbridges in real time

What can you expect?

The journey begins at 1 am from the Palace pier on the Admiralteyskaya embankment (this pier is now called "Descent with Lions"). Once it was located slightly higher along the Neva - where the Palace Bridge opened in 1916; for the construction of the bridge it was moved closer to the Admiralty.

Today, leisure boats leave from this pier along the Neva, rivers and canals. From here you can go on "Meteora" to Peterhof and Kronstadt, or you can take the excursion "The History of Drawbridges" (this excursion is also conducted from the pier at the Faberge Museum on Fontanka, 21) and "Cruise under Drawbridges" of our partner - the shipping company ASTRA MARINE.

01.10 - the opening of the first of the St. Petersburg bridges - the Palace bridge - begins. The silhouette of the Peter and Paul Cathedral between the wings of the drawbridge is one of the most famous "postcard" views, a buisness card card of St. Petersburg.

On the other bank of the Neva in front of you is Vasilievsky Island, the buildings of the Kunstkamera and the Twelve Collegia. We won't get to the other side today - you can get to know it on another route - “The first front embankment of the Northern Capital”.

It's time to move in the direction of the Winter Palace, because soon it's time to open the Trinity and Annunciation bridges. From the new Palace pier - the one opposite the entrance to the Hermitage - look first to the right and then to the left:

01.20 - opening of the Trinity Bridge;

01.25 - opening of the Blagoveshchensky bridge.

Directly in front of you is the Spit of Vasilievsky Island and the Peter and Paul Fortress. And you are on the Palace Embankment. You can learn more about its sights on the “Palace Petersburg” route.

We are heading along the Palace Embankment to the Troitsky Bridge, which has already been raised. You have 15 minutes before the layout of the Liteiny Bridge to admire the legendary grating of the Summer Garden and drive across the humped Laundry Bridge to the Kutuzov embankment.

On the opposite side of the Neva you can see the house of Peter I and the cruiser "Aurora" - but you will approach them another time, for this we have a special route along the two banks of the Neva, which is called "Right bank - left bank".

01.40 - opening of the Liteiny Bridge.

How this bridge is being raised, it is better to look from Liteiny Prospekt, this is an amazing sight: the only wing of the drawbridge, having risen, blocks the perspective, and you suddenly find yourself in a mountain gorge. In general, Liteiny Bridge is one of the most mystical places in St. Petersburg.

Passing the ominous bulk of the "Big House", you drive to Voskresenskaya embankment. Here is a part of the thematic route "Tragic Addresses of St. Petersburg" dedicated to the history of Stalinist repressions. You will see the memorial "Sphinxes" of Mikhail Shemyakin, the monument to Anna Akhmatova and the prison "Kresty" on the other bank of the Neva.

You need to be in time for the opening of the Bolsheokhtinsky bridge, the Neva here makes a sharp turn to the south, and we suggest, on reaching the Smolnaya embankment, turn onto Potemkinskaya street and straighten the path along Shpalernaya. This will take you to the Smolny Cathedral. On the way, you will come across several interesting buildings, such as the Tauride Palace, the old water tower, and the Kikiny Chambers.

But it is better to get acquainted with them during the day - then you will have the opportunity to climb the belfry of the Smolny Cathedral, the highest observation deck in St. Petersburg. The route is called "Along Shpalernaya to Smolny".

02.00 - opening of the Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge, one of the most beautiful structures in the city on the Neva. Its granite beacon towers rise 38 meters above the water, inside there are drawbridge mechanisms, and on the upper platforms there are large mirror lanterns that illuminate the way for ships.

The last section of the route runs along the Sinop embankment. ... And here is the last bridge on the route.

02.20 - opening of the Alexander Nevsky bridge. It is the longest and highest of the drawbridges within the boundaries of St. Petersburg. Its length together with the coastal facilities is 909 meters, and the height of the drawbridge is 11 meters. The bridge got its name due to its proximity to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and the square of the same name.

This is where your journey ends. If you live on the right bank of the Neva, then you can get home through the Bolshoi Obukhovsky bridge - it is cable-stayed and is never raised.