Green Bridge (Vilnius)
Encyclopedia
The Green Bridge is a bridge over the Neris River in Vilnius
, Lithuania
. It is the oldest bridge in the city and connects city center with Šnipiškės
.
. It was a wooden covered bridge with brick and stone piers. It had a second floor with apartments for toll collectors. Because its builder Ulryk Hozjusz
wanted to recoup the cost by collecting tolls, Grand Duke Sigismund I of Poland granted him a privilege prohibiting others to build any other bridges between Kernavė
and Bistrica (Быстрыца in Belarus) or to offer other crossing services between Verkiai
and Paneriai
. The bridge was burned by retreating Lithuanian Army commanded by Janusz Radziwiłł after the Battle of Vilnius (1655)
.
A new project was prepared in 1673, which envisioned a span of 73 metres (239.5 ft) between piers—the longest known span at the time. However, an early spring and ice jam destroyed the piers. Therefore the old piers from the first were reused and the second bridge was complete in 1679. In 1739 another wooden bridge was erected and painted green. Since then it is known as the Green Bridge. In 1789 a new project of a brick bridge was prepared by Laurynas Gucevičius
, but the builders selected another proposal. The construction was supervised by Marcin Knackfus
. The project was not successful as the bridge burned in 1791. It was rebuilt according to a project by Michael Schulz in 1805, but burned again on orders from Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
during the French invasion of Russia
of 1812.
The bridge was rebuilt in 1827–1829. A steel bridge was designed by Nikolai Belelyubsky and completed in 1894. It survived world War I
, but was blown up by the Wehrmacht
in 1944. The present-day bridge was completed in 1952 and named after Soviet General Ivan Chernyakhovsky
. After the declaration of independence in 1990, the bridge regained its historical name.
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. It is the oldest bridge in the city and connects city center with Šnipiškės
Šnipiškes
Šnipiškės is a neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Located on the north bank of the river Neris, it is the site of Vilnius' new business district. Several skyscrapers and the new Europa Tower business center have been erected since the turn of the millennium...
.
History
The first bridge is known from 1536. It stood closer to the present-day Mindaugas BridgeMindaugas Bridge
Mindaugas Bridge crosses Neris River and connects Žirmūnai elderate with the Old Town of Vilnius, capital of Lithuania. The bridge was named after Mindaugas, King of Lithuania, and was opened in 2003 during the celebrations of the 750th anniversary of Mindaugas' coronation. The bridge is in length...
. It was a wooden covered bridge with brick and stone piers. It had a second floor with apartments for toll collectors. Because its builder Ulryk Hozjusz
Ulryk Hozjusz
Ulryk Hozjusz was a Polish noble of German descent. Born in Pforzheim, he lived most of his life in Poland, at the court of the Polish kings and Grand Dukes of Lithuania. In early 16th century he was made a high-ranking official at the Kraków mint. Soon after he was transferred to Vilnius to head...
wanted to recoup the cost by collecting tolls, Grand Duke Sigismund I of Poland granted him a privilege prohibiting others to build any other bridges between Kernavė
Kernave
Kernavė was a medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and today is a tourist attraction and an archeological site . It is located in the Širvintos district municipality located in southeast Lithuania...
and Bistrica (Быстрыца in Belarus) or to offer other crossing services between Verkiai
Verkiai
Verkiai is a northernmost eldership in Vilnius, Lithuania. Historically it was a separate settlement situated north of Vilnius but today it is a part of Vilnius city municipality. It occupies 5,565 ha and has 30,000 inhabitants...
and Paneriai
Paneriai
Paneriai is a neighborhood of Vilnius, situated about 10 kilometres away from the city center. It is the largest elderate in the Vilnius city municipality. It is located on low forested hills, on the Vilnius-Warsaw road...
. The bridge was burned by retreating Lithuanian Army commanded by Janusz Radziwiłł after the Battle of Vilnius (1655)
Battle of Vilnius (1655)
The Battle of Vilnius, battle of Wilno, or battle of Vilna was the invasion by Russian and Cossack forces of Vilnius , the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, that occurred between the 7th and 9th of August 1655...
.
A new project was prepared in 1673, which envisioned a span of 73 metres (239.5 ft) between piers—the longest known span at the time. However, an early spring and ice jam destroyed the piers. Therefore the old piers from the first were reused and the second bridge was complete in 1679. In 1739 another wooden bridge was erected and painted green. Since then it is known as the Green Bridge. In 1789 a new project of a brick bridge was prepared by Laurynas Gucevičius
Laurynas Gucevicius
Laurynas Gucevičius was an 18th century architect born in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and most of his designs were built there....
, but the builders selected another proposal. The construction was supervised by Marcin Knackfus
Marcin Knackfus
Marcin Knackfus was a Polish–Lithuanian Neoclassical architect of German descent. Born near Warsaw, he worked in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and particularly in its capital Vilnius...
. The project was not successful as the bridge burned in 1791. It was rebuilt according to a project by Michael Schulz in 1805, but burned again on orders from Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , was a Russian Field Marshal and Minister of War during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and War of the Sixth Coalition.-Early life:...
during the French invasion of Russia
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
of 1812.
The bridge was rebuilt in 1827–1829. A steel bridge was designed by Nikolai Belelyubsky and completed in 1894. It survived world War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, but was blown up by the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in 1944. The present-day bridge was completed in 1952 and named after Soviet General Ivan Chernyakhovsky
Ivan Chernyakhovsky
Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky, also Cherniakhovsky, ; Oksanina, Uman, Russian Empire , - Mehlsack, today Pieniężno, Poland, 18 February 1945) was a Soviet General of the Army , twice Hero of the Soviet Union, commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front, who died from wounds received outside...
. After the declaration of independence in 1990, the bridge regained its historical name.