St Isaac’s (Floating) Bridge

St Isaac’s Bridge was named after the nearby St Isaac’s Cathedral and joined the Admiralty district with Vasilyevsky Island. The first floating bridge was built at the command of Prince Alexander Menshikov, governor general of St Petersburg (1727). It existed for one year, before being dismantled “for the convenience of the passage of ships” (1728). Rebuilt by naval lieutenant Fyodor Palchikov (1732). Consisted of a series of pontoon barges anchored in the river, linked together by wooden balks and covered in planks to form a road surface. It had two bascule mechanisms to let ships pass. On two occasions, the bridge was carried away by the current. It was dismantled during the winter and restored to its former place each spring. Moved towards the Winter Palace during construction of the Annunciation Bridge further down the river and returned to its old site during construction of Palace Bridge. Set alight by a passing tugboat and burnt down (11 June 1916).