Trade bridge

The trade bridge connects the Theatre Square with the Union of Printers street through the Hooks channel. The bridge was first built in 1785. It was called the Trade Market, because it was close to the Trade Market and the street, which is now called the Union of Printers, has a historical name - Trade. On the site of the Trading Lithuanian (Karchev) market, the House of Culture named after the 1st Five-Year Plan was later built, but due to the construction of the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, it was demolished. The first bridge consisted of a three-span wooden structure, lined with granite pillars of butt masonry, and of course, the average span was a draw. The major repair of the Trade Bridge was in 1905, at the end of which some changes were made that made the bridge more durable. In the post-war years, another reconstruction took place, but the appearance and architectural design of the Trade Bridge remained in its original form. The last work on strengthening the bridge took place in 1960-1961 under the leadership of engineer A.D. Gutzeit and architect A.L. Rotach. The historic floor lamps and lanterns that were in the original design of the Trade Bridge were also restored. The bridge overlooks the famous Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theatre.