Vladivostok is the "gateway" of Russia in the Pacific Ocean. The city will be spread out on the Muravyov-Amursky peninsula and on the islands of the Peter the Great Gulf. For this reason, there are many bridges in Vladivostok. Among them, the Golden Bridge stands alone, which is depicted on a banknote of 2,000 rubles.
Background
In 1859, the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, Count Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky, explored the southern part of the largest peninsula - Primorsky. These places reminded him very much of the shores of the Bosphorus, which separates Europe and Asia Minor. And the bay, cutting into the peninsula with a long curved horn, was also similar to the Golden Horn in Istanbul. For this reason, Muravyov-Amursky, without thinking twice, gave the appropriate names to the bay and the strait.
This is how the Eastern Bosphorus and the Golden Horn Bay appeared on the map of the Far East. And on their banks the city of Vladivostok grew up.
The Golden Horn Bay is very convenient for anchorage of ships. It is long, narrow and deep. Therefore, it serves as a reliable shelter for merchant and fishing vessels. Its hilly, steep banks are now leveled and widened, and there are mooring facilities on them. The Vladivostok commercial and fishing ports, a shipyard, and parts of the Pacific Fleet are located here.
Of course, this greatly affects the ecological state of the bay. Its water is polluted by sewage. Now it does not freeze for the winter, while 100 years ago for three months the bay was covered with ice, along which a winter road was laid, and in the central part, opposite the Admiral's Garden, a skating rink was arranged.
The Golden Horn Bay divides Vladivostok into two parts, which, of course, is inconvenient for moving around the city. The fact that its banks need to be connected by a bridge was said already in the 19th century. But the Russo-Japanese War, the Revolution and the First World War did not allow the plans to come true.
Building
They started talking seriously about the bridge over the Golden Horn in 1959. Ten years later, his project was included in the master plan of Vladivostok. But the matter got under way only in 2005, when it became clear that a major international event - the APEC summit - would be held in Vladivostok. A construction tender was announced, the results of which were summed up in 2008.
Soon, in the area of the funicular, a car tunnel about 250 m long was dug and supports - the future pylons of the bridge - began to be erected. Their height is 226 m, which is comparable to a house of 70 floors. The pylons of the bridge are visible from almost anywhere in Vladivostok. They look like the letter V. On the pylons, cables are stretched. It took 192 cables to erect the bridge. Their total length was 42 km.
In 2012, a bridge connected the shores of the Golden Horn Bay. Its total length is 1388 m. It is raised 64 m above sea level and is capable of handling large-tonnage ocean-going vessels.
Thanks to the shrouds, the bridge looks light, delicate. At the same time, it can withstand a gusty wind of 47 m / s and an earthquake of up to 8 points. The bridge soaring above the waves is one of the main adornments of Vladivostok and its symbol.
