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Egyptian Bridge




Egyptian Bridge (Египетский мост) in St Petersburg , Russia carries Lermontov Avenue over the Fontanka River .

The one-span Suspension Bridge that it replaced was of considerable historical interest as a remarkable monument to the early 19th-century Egyptomania . It was constructed in 1825- 1826 to designs by two civic engineers, von Traitteur and Christianowicz. Its granite Abutment s used to be topped with cast-iron Sphinx es and Hexagon al Lantern s. An unusual feature was the pair of cast-iron gates featuring Egyptian-style columns, ornaments, and Hieroglyph ics, with many details of the ironwork elaborately overgilded.

The original bridge, intended both for pedestrian and horse-drawn transport, lasted into the early 20th Century and collapsed on January 20 , 1905 , when a cavalry Squadron was marching across it. The present structure, incorporating sphinxes and several other details from the 19th-century bridge, results from a decision to construct a new bridge on the spot, which was completed in 1955 .