Pedestrian bridge over the Ural River. Pedestrian bridge over the Urals. Photo and description
Pedestrian bridge in Orenburg (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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Bridges always have a special metaphysical meaning as something that connects opposites into a single whole. This fact is best reflected in the city of Orenburg, which itself can be considered a kind of “bridge between Asia and Europe.” In a word, it is quite natural that it was in this border place that an amazing pedestrian bridge appeared, connecting the two continents. It is difficult for those who cross the picturesque river separating the settlement to imagine that at the other end there is another part of the world. A real calling card of Orenburg makes all tourists envy the local residents, because they make an exciting intercontinental journey, sometimes several times a day.
The ancestor of this bridge, and all other Orenburg bridges that connect the banks of the Urals, was built back in 1835. It is interesting that the famous Russian writer Vladimir Dal, who lived in this Ural city, took part in the design of that crossing. The “ancestor” was made of wood and was a floating structure, which was put back up every year after the end of the heavy spring flood. After some time, the bridge was replaced by a pile bridge, but also a wooden one. In 1982, a beautiful metal bridge was built, which we can still see today.
Despite the fact that the bridge has quite impressive dimensions (its length is 220 m), outwardly it seems absolutely light and weightless, almost airy. It's amazing how architects and engineers managed to achieve such an effect when building such a large-scale structure.
With the help of this pedestrian bridge, residents of Orenburg make an exciting intercontinental journey, sometimes several times a day.
The pedestrian bridge in Orenburg is a real decoration of the already very picturesque embankment; in its beauty it is not inferior to other beautiful crossings in the country. And according to many experts, this design has no analogues anywhere in the country, and maybe even in the world. The organically inscribed bridge was created using unique metal processing technologies, which made it possible to make it both very extensive and seemingly transparent. In addition, the bridge was built very quickly and efficiently.
Bridge over the Urals
We can safely say that Europe and Asia were connected in an extremely original way. In order for idle tourists and locals hurrying on business not to forget that they are crossing the invisible border of continents, two symbolic border pillars were installed in the middle, decorated with the city’s coats of arms and the inscriptions “Europe” and “Asia”, respectively.
Finding the bridge is not at all difficult, just go out to the embankment of the Ural River and follow the majority of people walking, they will probably lead you to it.
Address: Orenburg, Naberezhnaya street.
about the project
The suspended pedestrian bridge over the Ural River is an attribute of one of the most beautiful places in the city of Orenburg, the Ural embankment. In its beauty it is not inferior to many beautiful places in Moscow and St. Petersburg and therefore is the calling card of the city of Orenburg.
Orenburg is located simultaneously in two parts of the world: Europe and Asia. The Ural River is the water boundary between these continents, and the bridge connecting the two banks is the link between them. On the pedestrian bridge over the Ural River there is a symbolic sign of the border - two border pillars with the coat of arms of Orenburg.
The pedestrian bridge over the Ural River is a unique engineering structure created under the leadership of V.V. Shatalov, one of the country's progressive specialists and engineers, in the mid-twentieth century. There are no analogues to this bridge in terms of weight and length in the country. Using advanced manufacturing methods for bridge metal structures, as well as a unique installation method, the bridge was built in a short time, at minimal cost, and is part of the picturesque architecture of the Ural River embankment.
In 2009, restoration of the load-bearing structures of staircases and crossbars, a suspended pedestrian bridge across the Ural River, which had collapsed under the influence of moisture, pedestrian loads and other factors, was carried out. The main purpose of the repair was to increase the service life of the flights of stairs and the bridge as a whole. To do this, it was necessary to stop further destruction, restore the load-bearing capacity, protective layer and reinforcement damaged by corrosion, without using more radical methods.
The condition of the monolithic structures was emergency: the protective layer had crumbled, reinforcement bars had collapsed from corrosion, in some places completely corroded, cracks along the entire length of the load-bearing structures.
The repair was carried out in the summer at temperatures from +15˚С to +30˚С without direct sunlight, which is ideal for repairs with cement compositions. During the work, the beams were cleared of loose concrete, and the reinforcing bars were sandblasted and machined. In places where the reinforcement was severely damaged, it was replaced.
For these works, materials from the MAPEI company were selected and used: Mapefer 1K for anti-corrosion protection of reinforcing bars, Mapegrout Thixotropic a thixotropic composition with good adhesive properties to create a protective layer and, in general, to strengthen the beams and Mapelastic, a two-component elastic composition based on cement for protection and concrete waterproofing.
Based on the technical data of these materials, tested in practice, we can easily say that the problems of destruction of load-bearing beams have been solved for the near future.
In 1835, the first bridge was built across the Urals in Orenburg. At that time, Vladimir Dal lived in the city, who took part in its design and construction. The bridge was floating and made of wood; at the end of the spring flood, it was rebuilt every year. Later it was replaced with a pile one. A permanent bridge connected the banks of the Urals only in 1982.
The suspended metal cable-stayed bridge is supported by two supports, from which tall pylons extend upward, connected by the letter “P”. Steel cables stretch from each pylon to the bridge to support it. The weight of the bridge is about nine hundred tons, and its length is two hundred and twenty meters. Interestingly, the bridge was built on both sides of the river. From the southern bank, its construction proceeded in the usual way - across the river. The bridge span on the north bank was first built along it, and then turned around and connected to the other half.
The bridge seems almost weightless, despite its rather significant size. In Orenburg, it is the most recognizable city landmark. In its middle there is a stele indicating that the Urals are a symbolic border separating Asia and Europe.
On the Asian side of the bridge is the Transural Grove with its coastal landscapes and shady trees. Sevropeyskaya is the embankment of Orenburg, which has become a favorite vacation spot for most citizens.
The International Geographical Union, however, has not recognized this border since 1959 after accepting the opinion of Russian scientists about its passage along the Emba River, the Ural Mountains and Mugodzhary. According to this statement, the Ural River can be considered a water boundary between parts of the world only in its upper reaches. Thus, Orenburg is a completely European city. But Orenburg residents are still confident in the opposite, because it’s so cool: one step to the side and you’re in Europe, a step in the other direction and you’re in Asia.
Photo: Pedestrian suspension bridge on the Orenburg embankment
Photo and description
One of the symbols of Orenburg is the pedestrian bridge over the Ural River. The Ural River symbolically divides the city into Europe and Asia, as evidenced by the stele in the middle of the bridge. So, halfway across a bridge in Europe, you suddenly find yourself in Asia. The bridge offers beautiful views of the picturesque banks of the Urals. Thanks to the previous and current authorities, who banned the construction of houses in the coastal zone, the banks of the historical river have retained their original appearance.
On the Asian side of the bridge there is a Transural Grove with shady trees and coastal landscapes. On the European side there is a favorite place for recreation and walks for city residents - the Orenburg embankment. From the bridge there is a staircase leading down to the river, a favorite place for children in the summer.
In front of the entrance to the Orenburg embankment there is a monument to Chkalov (previously the city was briefly renamed Chkalovsk) on a spacious observation deck with decorative railings. On a small cozy embankment there are summer cafeterias, a public garden with benches and a children's railway. Nearby there is the Elizabethan Gate to Asia, a cable car and the Museum of the History of the City in the building of the former Guardhouse.
At night, the suspension bridge and embankment are illuminated with bright lights, making one of the main attractions of the city of Orenburg unforgettable.
Connecting parts of the world: pedestrian bridge across the Urals in Orenburg April 17th, 2018
The pedestrian bridge across the Urals in Orenburg is rightfully the city’s main attraction. More like a symbol. His image is in all notes and essays about the city, on calendars and postcards. In 1835, a bridge was built on this site, in the design of which our famous writer Vladimir Dal was involved. He lived at that time in Orenburg. The first bridge was a wooden floating one; it was erected after floods and removed for the winter. Then the bridge became a pile bridge, but also made of wood. It was only in 1982 that the metal bridge that we see to this day was built. 
The length of the bridge is 220 meters, weight is about 900 tons, the design is impressive - the suspension bridge is cable-stayed, but it looks somehow light. And there is also a stele “Europe Asia” installed on it.
The river divides the city into two parts approximately in the middle. And you can make unique trips from Europe to Asia and back several times a day.
On the European side there is a monument to the legendary pilot Chkalov, a cable car, an observation deck, and in Asia there is the Trans-Ural Grove. The monument to Valery Pavlovich was erected in 1953. Orenburg, by the way, was called Chkalov from 1938 to 1957. The six-meter monument stands on a seven-meter pedestal.
We will not take the cable car down to Zauralka, we will walk a little and return.
Yes, over time it was quite a disaster to be free.
Now the reconstruction of the embankment and the descent to the bridge from the observation deck seems to be completed or close to it.
Overall it’s not bad, you haven’t seen the old photos, but there are still a lot of imperfections and clumsy steps.
Maybe they'll fix it. Just during our walk on the bridge, an important delegation walked around, looking like an inspection commission, measuring, recording, photographing.
In general, the construction of this bridge itself was unique. It was erected simultaneously from both banks. On the south side they built it in the classical way, but on the opposite side it was first built along the shore and then turned around, connecting the two halves.
They say that the bridge itself will also be closed for reconstruction in the near future. This, I think, is correct.
After all, in some places it doesn’t look at all formal.
But the townspeople will have to get to their favorite vacation spot in the Transural Grove either by cable car or by road bridge.
Or maybe swim, because the city beach is located right here.
Okay, we'll see in the summer.
