How the EGYPTIAN Bridge appeared in St. Petersburg (PHOTOS)

1. Walking around St. Petersburg, it is impossible to ignore this architectural masterpiece. The Egyptian Bridge connects sections of Lermontovsky Prospekt across the Fontanka River – and it simply adds incredible beauty to the city!

2. It was built in 1826 and the grand opening took place on September 6.

3. ‘Egyptomania’ was flourishing throughout Europe at that time. Interest in the art of the ancient civilisation began after Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign, when Europeans discovered a “new” cultural world.

4. Russia was no exception: in St. Petersburg, besides the Egyptian Bridge, one can see real sphinx statues on Universitetskaya Embankment, the Egyptian Gates in Pushkin and other artefacts steeped in legend.

5. The cast‑iron sphinxes that “guard” the bridge were cast in the same year, 1826, in St. Petersburg. Each sculpture weighs about 2 metric tons.

6. The bridge was a chain bridge until 1905, when it collapsed – an event that gave rise to urban legends.

7. On 20 January 1905, it suddenly collapsed under the weight of a squadron of the Horse Guards Regiment marching across it. Several people and horses fell into the icy water of the Fontanka, but no one was seriously injured.

8. The chains snapped and the spans fell into the river. The causes of the collapse are still debated: some point to structural wear and tear, others to design flaws and still others to resonance – and this theory has become one of the most widely accepted. It’s said that this is when the command “Don’t walk in step” appeared, to prevent the bridge from swaying.

9. A temporary bridge stood at this site for half a century. In 1955, Soviet engineers built a new metal girder bridge for pedestrians, cars and trams. It’s designed in the same Egyptian style, with columns and ornamentation.

10. The sphinxes near the bridge, however, have been there since 1826!