Egyptian Bridge
Egyptian Bridge (Египетский мост) in St Petersburg, Russia carries Lermontov Avenue over the Fontanka River.
The one-span suspension bridge that it replaced was of considerable historical interest as a remarkable monument to the early 19th-century Egyptomania. It was constructed in 1825-1826 to designs by two civil engineers, von Traitteur and Christianowicz. Its granite abutments used to be topped with cast-iron sphinxes and hexagonal lanterns. An unusual feature was the pair of cast-iron gates featuring Egyptian-style columns, ornaments, and hieroglyphics, with many details of the ironwork elaborately overgilded.
The original bridge, intended both for pedestrian and horse-drawn transport, lasted into the early 20th century and collapsed on January 20, 1905, when a cavalry squadron was marching across it. The present structure, incorporating sphinxes and several other details from the 19th-century bridge, results from a decision to construct a new bridge on the spot, which was completed in 1955.
