Bridges in Kiev

Kiev, that historically was situated on the right bank of the Dnieper River, covers both banks of the river whose width, as it flows through the city, reaches some several hundred metres. Additionally, several tributaries fall into the Dnieper inside or just north or south of the historic city. Currently there are eight bridges spanning across the river and a few dozen bridges across the canals and Dnieper tributaries.

Due to the location and the width of the river, the bridges have always been a very attractive and hard to realize option throughout the long history of Kiev.

The temporary floater bridges were known to have existed since the 12th century. The stationary bridges existed in Kiev from mid-19th century, but none of them survived through the turbulent events that followed the 1917 Russian Revolution.

According to the chronicles, the earliest floating bridge across the Dnieper River in the area was built in the 1115. It was located near Vyshhorod or, according to different accounts, near the Vydubychi Monastery. Records exist about another floater in the 17th century with stationary approaches from the shores.

Such bridges could only be temporary as Dnieper ices in most winters at the Kiev's latitude and the pillar's icing and the roaring ice drift each spring remain a concern even for modern bridges. Additionally, the river stream was especially strong before the Dnieper was dammed in the 20th century. Therefore, the cross-river traffic was carried by boats and ferries throughout centuries.

From the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, Kiev was served by two stationary bridges. Both bridges had similar fates. Built at the times of the industrial revolution in the Russian Empire these engineering masterpieces of their time survived World War I and the Russian Civil War. Both were blown up in 1920 by the Polish troops retreating from Kiev following their unsuccessful armed intervention into Ukraine.

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Wikipedia