Blagoveshchensky Bridge

St. Petersburg's first permanent Neva bridge (1850) — cast-iron engineering landmark that opens dramatically each summer night during the White Nights season.

The Blagoveshchensky Bridge — also known as the Lieutenant Schmidt Bridge — crosses the Neva River in St. Petersburg, connecting Vasilievsky Island to the Admiralty District. Opened in 1850, it was the first permanent bridge across the Neva, replacing the temporary pontoon bridges that had previously linked the city's districts. Its cast-iron arches are considered a masterpiece of 19th-century Russian engineering. Like all the major Neva bridges, it opens during the White Nights each summer to allow river traffic to pass — a nightly spectacle that draws thousands of onlookers to the banks. The bridge has been restored several times and retains its historic character to this day.