Kaluga: The stone bridge. The monument of federal significance

Ask the native Kaluga, where is the Stone Bridge? Kaluga address is known: st. Bazhenov Str. Pushkin, st. "Stone Bridge" on buses Nos. 2, 3; On trolleybuses Nos. 1, 2, 3 and on minibus No. 1. This is not surprising. With an abundance of exquisite antique charming mansions in the center, it stands out as the only and unique.

Stone bridge in Kaluga: history

The chief architect of the city is P.R. Nikitin built Kaluga, like many other cities, (Tver, Torzhok, Kozelsk, Maloyaroslavets) according to the regular plan: the center from which the radial and circular streets depart. Everything spoiled a deep and long ravine in the center with a stream running along it. Petr Romanovich Nikitin drew attention to his problems the attention of the Kaluga governor Mikhail Nikitich Krechetnikov. He, in turn, turned to the great sovereign Catherine. She approved the expensive construction. It was in such a long way that he received Kaluga. Stone bridge photo shows in a modern form, in the process of restoration, which took place in 2009-2010 and cost 680 million rubles. But why did the urban planner come up with such a strange idea - to build a semblance of Roman bridges in central Russia? He was familiar with the views of the aqueducts of Claudius and Alexander Severus, as well as the aqueduct of Emperor Valente in Constantinople. The similarity is beyond doubt. According to Kaluga, there is a legend about Nikolai Gogol. The writer learned about him from his friend, Kaluga governor AO. Smirnova-Rosset and inserted it in the description of Manilov's dreams of a bridge with benches on it. Gogol saw this bridge later, when he was staying in Kaluga.

Ancient Roman Ideas

It does not resemble any of the structures in Kaluga. In Moscow, the Sverdlovsk region and even here and there you can find analogues, but this engineering work of art falls into the soul at once. This is not a simple bridge, but a viaduct built in 1777-1780. The architect embodied in it the fantasy of D.B. Piranesi, who admired the civilization of ancient Rome. In non-black-earth Russia stands Kaluga. A stone bridge is laid over a huge and deep ravine, typical for these places. On its bottom there once flowed the Berezui creek. From it even beat a holy spring. This place is in the very center of the city, so the bridge was absolutely necessary. But who could imagine that it would make a viaduct consisting of two tiers? Of course, not kaluzhane. Yes, and could imagine the townspeople in the XVIII century, what will get the attraction of Kaluga - the Stone Bridge. Only after passing through it, you will begin to understand, what grandiose dreams were at that epoch.

What is a viaduct?

What was so unusual about Kaluga? The stone bridge is very tall, unusually long and, I would stress, expensive. The Romans did not spare the funds for construction. If they built, then even the trifle served for centuries. They did not count money, taking money from the inhabitants of the conquered lands. So they got wide bridges on high and powerful supports. In a pure form, they did not build viaducts, but installed aquaviaducts - a water pipe and a road at the same time made of stone or brick. Europe remembered them in the 19th century, when the industrial revolution began, and roads for trains were required. To make a detour around the mountain canyon was immeasurably more expensive than building a viaduct. In the photo below the viaduct in Marseilles (construction of 1841). Only two bridges in Europe in antiquity inferior to Kaluga. Stone bridge-viaduct in France built in the XVI century and in Grodno - XVII century.

What does the Kaluga bridge look like?

This is an imposing structure. One and a half million bricks went to build it! This is exactly counted in the XVIII century. In the XXI can not even accurately measure its length. According to various estimates, it varies from one hundred and eight to one hundred and sixty meters. But at least the arch counted - there are 15. Three in the center, - two-story. Their height is twenty-three meters. After repair, the foundation was strengthened and strengthened. Relocated 9 out of 12 supports. The width of the bridge is fourteen meters.

Lookout view

Code of the bridge was built, on its sides rose shopping rows and opened a view of the right bank of the Oka, the Noble Assembly and the bell tower of the Trinity Cathedral. It is still visible today. In 1912, a wooden floor was replaced on the bridge, since the old one was already very dilapidated. In 1975, the bridge was examined and recognized as unfit for operation. Money for repairs, however, is not singled out. We carried out another examination and allowed the movement of vehicles and pedestrians. But in fact, his feet already covered the ground by three and a half meters. Only in the 21st century was the capital repair, and the Stone Bridge stands as a new one. There is still a clearing and improvement of the ravine, a "revival" of the Berezui creek, the creation of a descent into the ravine. There, according to the plan should be a rest area.

The Kaluga Stone Bridge and the Berezui Gully are the legitimate pride of Kaluzhans and a monument of federal significance.