Starovolzhsky Bridge, Road bridge in Tver, Russia

The Starovolzhsky Bridge is a steel road and pedestrian bridge over the Volga River in central Tver, resting on several stone piers. It connects the left and right banks of the city and is one of the most visible river crossings in the region.

The State Council of the Russian Empire approved a permanent bridge in 1894; engineer G. F. Tochinsky drew up the design in 1895, and construction ran from 1897 to 1900 under engineer L. I. Mashek. The metalwork came from the Kolomna Machine-Building Plant. In December 1941 the bridge was blown up; a temporary restoration followed in early 1942, and full rebuilding took place in 1946–1947.

For people in Tver, this bridge is a daily crossing, and many walk across it simply to enjoy the view over the Volga. From the footpath, you can see the steel framework up close and look out over the wide river in both directions.

The bridge sits in the city center and is easy to reach on foot from the surrounding streets. A visit in good light is worthwhile since the bridge offers a wide view over the river.

The bridge is not a suspension bridge: its three steel trusses only imitate the outline of chain bridges, like the Freedom Bridge in Budapest. During the 1982–1985 reconstruction the old trusses were kept and hung on the new continuous steel-reinforced-concrete span as architectural decoration, so the pre-revolutionary metalwork survives as cladding rather than structure.