Bank Bridge (Saint Petersburg)

 footbridge, UNESCO World Heritage Site, 1820s construction, tourist attraction

The Bank pedestrian bridge spanning the Griboyedov Canal near the building of the St. Petersburg State University of Economics connects the Kazan and Spassky Islands.

The bridge is a single—span beam bridge with a length of 28 meters, a width of 3.1 meters.

The superstructure consists of two box beams welded from channels connected by longitudinal and transverse links. The passageway is made of a single boardwalk laid on a transverse beam. The steel beam of rigidity on the facades is covered by a cornice of boards. The role of pylons is performed by cast-iron frames (frames) decorated with two sculptures of griffins with a height of about 2.4 m. The frames are attached to a wooden grillage, compressed from above and below with massive cast-iron plates, to which bearing chains of metal links of circular cross-section are attached.

The railing is wrought iron.

Bank Bridge is an outstanding monument of bridge–building architecture of the first quarter of the XIX century. One of the three surviving pedestrian chain bridges in St. Petersburg (along with the Levin and Pochtamtsky bridges). Named after the nearby Assignation Bank, the bridge was opened to pedestrian traffic on July 24 (August 5, 1826), and more than 9 thousand people passed through it that day. The bridge is designed to pass pedestrians and is one of six suspension bridges built in 1823-1826.

The first suspension bridge (now defunct) it was built according to the project of engineer P.P. Bazin in 1823 in the Ekaterinhof Park, and the remaining 5 bridges (two transport bridges: Egyptian and Panteleimon — now both rebuilt, 2 pedestrian bridges: Post Office and Four Lions — now both rebuilt, and Bank, also pedestrian) were built according to the projects of engineer G.M. Tretter.

The design of pedestrian suspension bridges did not differ from similar systems adopted for transport bridges. Metal chains were also adopted as bearing and supporting elements of the flooring. But unlike transport, where portal ramps served as supports, in pedestrian bridges such a role is played by metal frames embedded in the foundations.

Corner sculptures of winged lions (often mistakenly referred to as griffins) by sculptor P. P. Sokolov brought special fame to the bridge. Mythical winged lions, whose images were previously found only in furniture decoration and architectural details, were first cast in huge sizes and decorated the street. The figures were cast from cast iron at the Alexander Iron Foundry, the wings are minted from sheet copper and covered with gold leaf

The superstructure on the Bank Bridge consists of 2 chains, suspensions and a wooden canvas. The role of pylons is performed by cast-iron ramps (frames) bolted through the masonry to a wooden grillage, compressed from above and below with massive cast-iron plates, to which load-bearing chains are attached.

By the end of the XIX century, the grilles on the bridge were replaced with metal ones of a simple pattern, and the lanterns on the heads of winged lions were destroyed.

In 1952, restoration work was carried out to return the bridge to its original appearance. The following were restored: the railing designed by engineer A.L. Rotach, floor lamps with lanterns and the original lead painting of cast iron, metal and wooden parts of the bridge was resumed. In 1967, the gilding of the architectural details of the bridge was restored.

In 1976, wooden girders were replaced with metal ones.

In 1988, the gilding of the decorative elements of the bridge with gold leaf was updated.

In 1997, the cast-iron griffins were repaired, the railing was restored, and electric lighting was repaired.

On January 13, 2017, work began on the restoration of the griffins of the Bank Bridge, which lasted until June 2019. The griffins were restored to the appearance they had before the restoration of the 1950s. They became not green, but dark, the color of patinated bronze. In addition, the reconstruction of the superstructure, repair of railings and decoration of the crossing was carried out. The bridge was inaugurated after restoration on June 19, 2019.

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