First Petergofsky bridge, Historic bridge across Moika River in Saint Petersburg, Russia
The First Petergofsky Bridge is a street crossing that carries Gorokhovaya Street over the Moika River. It features red-painted sides facing the water and accommodates both pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
The original cast iron structure was built between 1808 and 1813 from a design by William Heste, representing early modern engineering. In 1953, it was replaced with a new steel arch construction to reinforce and extend the crossing.
The bridge displays its distinctive red sides facing the river, part of a 19th-century system where Moika crossings in Saint Petersburg were painted in different colors. This practice helped residents navigate and identify locations across the city.
The crossing is accessible to both pedestrians and vehicles throughout the day and serves as an important connection point in the city's transportation network. The red coloring makes it easy to spot from a distance, helping with orientation in this area.
Only four of these color-coded crossings have survived to the present day, with this one being the red example among them. The others are painted blue, green, and yellow and sit at different points along the river.
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