The Triple Bridge (also known as the Three-Arch Bridge, Three-Knee Bridge) is the informal name of a unique bridge composition connecting three islands: Spassky, 1st Admiralty, and Kazansky in the Central District of Saint Petersburg. Two bridges at this location were built in the late 1730s, during the reign of Anna Ioannovna:
The bridge is located at the junction of the Griboyedov Canal and the Moika River. It consists of the converging Malo-Konyushenny Bridge over the Moika, the Teatralny Bridge over the Griboyedov Canal, and a land bridge-dam between the two rivers (sometimes called the Pedestrian Bridge; since the late 20th century, the names False Bridge or Fake Bridge have appeared, though these are not officially recognized). Two bridges at this location were built in the late 1730s, during the reign of Anna Ioannovna: the Pervo-Konyushenny Bridge was thrown over the Krivusha River (the future Griboyedov Canal), whose source had just been connected to the Moika, and the Malo-Konyushenny Bridge was thrown over the Moika; it is known that it was rebuilt between 1769 and 1781. Both were wooden three-span drawbridges.
How the place’s names changed:
Teatralny Bridge – until 1828 (definitely existed in 1711) called Red Bridge, from 1828 Pervo-Konyushenny Bridge, from 1849 Teatralny Bridge.
It was one of the first bridges over the Catherine Canal, which gave its name to the Red Canal dug in 1711. The name “Teatralny” was given in honor of the wooden theater located nearby on the Bolshoy Meadow (now Mars Field). The theater itself, built in 1770 and known as the Theater on the Tsaritsyn Meadow (the premiere of Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” took place on its stage). The theater lasted until 1797, when its building was demolished because it interfered with parades on the meadow.
Malo-Konyushenny Bridge – from 1798 Tsaritsyn Bridge, from 1829 Teatralny Bridge, from 1872 Malo-Konyushenny Bridge.
This first wooden bridge was thrown over the Moika as early as 1716; later it was located closer to the site of the current 2nd Sadovy Bridge. It was named after the Main Imperial Stables located nearby on Konyushennaya Square. It was called Malo-Konyushenny because at the time of construction the Pervo-Konyushenny Bridge already existed.
Both bridges have a single span covered by cast-iron arches made of tubing. On the side of the Main Imperial Stables building, the arch of the false Pedestrian Bridge adjoins the Teatralny Bridge. Despite having the same width (about 15.6 m in the middle), the Teatralny and Malo-Konyushenny bridges differ noticeably in length: 18 m and 23 m respectively. At the ends, Malo-Konyushenny widens to 19 m.
The Triple Bridge ensemble is unique in world practice and is considered a masterpiece of bridge architecture.
All three bridges have identical torcheres and cast-iron railing fences, decorated in the style of late classicism. The decoration predominantly features elements of plant ornamentation. The fence lattice consists of vertical round spike rods. The tops of the spikes are shaped like palmettes, resembling unopened buds. In the center of each lattice section are aegises (symbols of the gods’ wrath and their protection): the mask of Medusa Gorgon on a shield and a crescent moon, surrounded by branches and palm leaves. Against the general background, details covered with gold leaf stand out beautifully. The face surfaces of the arches are decorated with ornaments; the lattice is externally supported by decorated brackets that structurally serve as stiffening elements. The bridge is illuminated by original gilded lanterns with round lamps.
In the early 19th century, several projects were proposed to replace the wooden bridges with new metal or stone ones, but their implementation was repeatedly postponed. At that time, many important buildings were being constructed in Petersburg, and the architectural ensemble of the Arts Square was taking shape, so city planners could not pay much attention to a pair of small bridges near Tsaritsyn Meadow. This continued until 1807, when Rossi, commissioned to build a palace for Alexander I’s brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, between the Catherine Canal and the Fontanka, began redesigning the entire area surrounding the architectural complex he envisioned. Among the objects he designed for the district were two unusual bridges, resting with their ends on the banks of the Catherine Canal and the Moika, and with the other ends on a common support in the middle of the Moika. It was then that the name Three-Arch Bridge first appeared, although officially the two parts of the composition retained the names of the earlier wooden bridges located here — Malo-Konyushenny and Teatralny.
The bridges were built under the supervision of Tretter. Construction began on June 8, 1829, based on a design finalized by Adam. The project was overseen by the military governor-general of Saint Petersburg, Goleniщev-Kutuzov. The latter assumed that the railings and lanterns of the bridges would differ in design, but Tretter insisted that the bridges, forming a single composition, should be decorated uniformly. The work was completed and the bridge accepted by city authorities on January 8, 1832. The metal elements of the bridges were produced between 1819 and 1829 at state enterprises: the Alexandrov Cast Iron Foundry, with some orders transferred to the Alexandrov Olonets Cast Iron Foundry.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Petersburg engineers and architects repeatedly proposed demolishing both bridges and erecting a single wide bridge-square in their place. None of these projects were approved. The historical appearance of the bridges has been preserved to this day without significant changes.
The bridge ensemble was last restored in 1999 according to a project by engineer Brudno. The bridge deck was repaved with hewn stone, and automobile traffic on the bridges was discontinued.
According to a tradition still existing in Petersburg, to ensure family happiness, newlyweds on their wedding day are supposed to (in addition to circling the Bronze Horseman three times and drinking a bottle of champagne on the spit of Vasilyevsky Island) walk across both parts of the bridge and admire their reflections in the Moika and the Griboyedov Canal.
Sources:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82
