Anichkov Bridge, Stone bridge over Fontanka River in Saint Petersburg, Russia
The Anichkov Bridge crosses the Fontanka with stone arches and four bronze statues at its corners, forming a major point along Nevsky Prospekt. The roadway is wide enough for several lanes, while broad sidewalks on both sides give pedestrians room to stop and take photographs.
The crossing was built in 1716 as a wooden structure and named after the engineer Anichkov, who commanded a regiment nearby at the time. The current stone bridge was erected in the 1780s and altered several times before receiving its present appearance with the horse sculptures.
The four bronze statues show men taming wild horses and have stood on the bridge since 1850. Each sculpture captures a different moment in the struggle between human and animal, from first encounter to complete control.
The bridge sits exactly where Nevsky Prospekt crosses the Fontanka, making it hard to miss during any walk through the city center. Visit early in the morning or late in the evening, when lighter traffic and fewer crowds allow clearer views of the sculptures.
During the Second World War, the bronze figures were removed and buried in the garden of a nearby palace to protect them from destruction. After the war ended, they returned undamaged to their places and remain there today.
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