Bridge of Four Lions

This pedestrian bridge spans the Griboedov Canal and is held up by four cast iron lions at each corner, with heavy chains gripped in their mouths. The steel structure connects two islands in the Admiralty district and measures about 28 meters in length.

This bridge was designed in 1825 and opened to the public in July 1826, representing an important moment in Russian engineering. The crossing was built to improve connections between the islands in this busy part of the city.

The four lions on this bridge show how Saint Petersburg mixed European style with Russian craftsmanship in the early 1800s. As you walk across, you notice how these cast iron animals serve both as art and as part of the structure, telling you something about what mattered to people then.

The bridge sits in the Admiralty district and connects two islands, making it easy to reach from the surrounding streets. Access is level and open, so you can cross without any barriers or obstacles.

A similar bridge was built in Berlin's Tiergarten park in 1838 and became Germany's first suspension bridge at that time. The connection between these two structures shows how Russian engineering ideas traveled across Europe.