The Berlin bridge in Kaliningrad. The Berlin bridge collapsed in Kaliningrad

The Berlin bridge in Kaliningrad is not only a tourist attraction, but also a piece of history. Unfortunately, gradually it goes to the past.

One way or another, but not all connoisseurs of antiquity favor the preservation of a vintage flyover, because to spend hours in traffic jams is an unpleasant pastime.

Memory of the war

In the late 30-ies of the last century in the east of Koenigsberg was deployed one of the large-scale construction projects. Every day almost 24 hours a day a technician worked to erect the Berlin bridge in Kaliningrad. Gradually, along the banks of the Pregol, concrete supports of a new design appeared.

However, at one point the project was suspended. Five-year plans followed one another, but the picture did not change: deserted shores, a huge floodplain, rare ships and fishermen. And on top of all this was the gloomy monument of the Great Patriotic War - the wide Berlin bridge in Kaliningrad, half of which, after 1945, remained unpublished.

Struck in the direction of the sky spans - a tribute to the memory of the war, which was designed by life itself. Every year thousands of tourists come to see the Berlin Bridge in Kaliningrad. In summer, excursions are organized here along the watery surface, since a truly unique sight on the huge bridge construction opens up from the river. Nowhere you will not see this!

Bridge during the Great Patriotic War

Remarkable is the fact that the Berlin Bridge (Kaliningrad) in the war years was called the Palmburg. Today it is called Coastal. Why is it better known as Berlin?

The fact is that the old Koenigsberg-Elbing motorway (present-day Polish city of Elblag) was gradually transformed into a route that leads to the capital of Germany. Since the aforementioned freeway ends in Berlin, it means that the bridge is also Berlin.

It should be noted that popular toponyms often acquire an official character. In bureaucratic documents, the above-mentioned monument of wartime is listed as a "bridge crossing through the New and Old Prego". Naturally, such a name is very difficult for a simple person to perceive, but the "Berlin Bridge" sounds pathetic and beautiful, and there is a high probability that in documents it will be called exactly so.

Divorce in Königsberg

At present, the famous bridge overgrew with several myths and some believe in them.

One of them is that the design of "Berlikki" is a drawbar. The second myth follows from the first: they say, the bridge was repaired by 50%, which means that the Russians were able to erect only one side of it. The design of the overpass can indeed be misleading.

During the war, when fierce battles for East Prussia were going on , the Soviet Army was able to come close to the "Berlinka". Our commanders decided not to bomb it, but to cross it to go on storming Kaliningrad. Having solved the plans of the Russian army, the Germans mined it. Why was the bridge not divorced?

Some experts say that in reality, "Berlinka" had a prefabricated, monolithic, and not a drawbar, which, among other things, allowed the risk of undermining with serious damage.

Anyway, but the soldiers of the Third Reich would be glad to bridge the bridge, but it is impossible. Then the Germans blew it up, and the structure turned into a "drawbar".

Was it really possible for the Russians to erect only one side of the Berliner? In the 60s of the last century, the structure was repaired only by 50%, not because there was a risk: it could potentially "jerk". In fact, even one side ensured normal traffic, the amount of which was not too large in those years.

The content of "Berlikki" is expensive

Currently, the situation with the Berlin bridge in Kaliningrad is not easy. The existing structure does not cope with the flow of cars, resulting in the formation of many kilometers of traffic jams.

"The erection and restoration of roads is one of the priority tasks. It must be implemented at an accelerated pace in time for the start of the world football championship, which will be held in 2018, "the officials emphasize.

Reconstruction of the above-mentioned historical monument is not a cheap pleasure. However, the first steps on the way to this have already been done: the federal authorities allocated 4.6 million rubles from the state treasury to repair the "Berlikki".

The bridge restoration process was planned in the second phase of the project "Construction of the southern bypass of Kaliningrad". The first stage was not yet ready, as information became known that the builders were demolishing the Berlin bridge in Kaliningrad. "Finally, they waited!" - said the residents of the former Konigsberg.

The design collapsed ...

However, in early January of this year, domestic media reported that as a result of dismantling work, the Berlin Bridge collapsed on people in Kaliningrad. The situation was aggravated by the fact that as a result of this incident, 4 people were killed. Naturally, the investigators immediately began to find out the reasons why the Berlin bridge fell on people in Kaliningrad. As a result of the investigation, it became known that the tragedy was due to the banal non-compliance with safety regulations. The perpetrators were brought to criminal responsibility.

What does the project provide?

According to the construction project, along with the old one, a new Berlin bridge (Kaliningrad) should appear. Then the new design will take on the entire transport load, releasing from it the "Berlin", which will subsequently be upgraded. By such measures, the authorities want to solve the problem of traffic jams. Residents of the region are eagerly awaiting the day when the old Berlin bridge is dismantled in Kaliningrad, and in its place a modern six-lane overpass will appear. The project implies three lanes on both sides (each 3.75 m long) and sidewalks.

According to the authorities' forecasts, the project will be ready by 2016.

Construction works on modernization are in full swing, and the old construction is no longer recognizable.

Of course, some residents will experience the real nostalgia for "Berlinke", but it is still necessary to modernize the facility in order to solve the problem of traffic jams. Well, the historical basis of the bridge will be preserved.