For a century and a half from its beginning St. Petersburgh had no permanent bridge on the Great Neva River in St. Petersburg, there were only pontoon and wooden bridges. Over almost a hundred years various designs were proposed, but they always proved too expensive and risky due to the challenges posed by the river itself: it was wide, deep, with a strong current and muddy bottom, with backward sea currents, with huge ice floes from Lake Ladoga in winter; additionally, it had to be kept navigable.

The challenge was taken up by the Polish engineer Stanisław Kierbedź. Born in 1810 in the Vilnius Province, a graduate of the Vilnius University and the Institute of the Corps of Communication Engineers in St. Petersburg, in 1842 he presented a design proposal of a permanent cast-iron bridge on stone supports. The proposal was subjected to numerous expert opinions. Despite widespread skepticism, Tsar Nikolai I accepted the project and Kierbedź was entrusted with the management of the construction. It lasted twice as long as expected - almost eight years - and was very costly. Kierbedź personally supervised the works and the purchase of vital elements.

The architecture of the bridge
The bridge connected the University Embankment on Vasilyevsky Island with the English Embankment, near which rises the Church of the Blessing of the Most Holy Virgin (Blagoveshchensky) – hence the name. The bridge had eight spans, seven of which were made up of arched cast iron girders, and the eighth was a drawbridge. It was 20.3 m wide and 298.2 m long, and at the time it was then the longest cast-iron bridge in the world.

The bridge impressed not only with its architectural and engineering design, but also with its artistic decoration, which emphasized the maritime character of the city. Cast iron railings with motifs of Neptune's trident, shells and hippocamps (sea horses) were the work of the architect Alexander Brullov from St. Petersburg. The bridge featured a chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the patron saint of sailors; it was designed by the architect Andrei Stackenschneider and it was demolished in 1930. The idea of decorating the bridge with sculptures by Piotr Klodt and Nikolai Pimienov could not be implemented for financial reasons.

The construction of the new bridge was a unique event in the life of the imperial capital. The residents of St. Petersburg watched with disbelief, but also with true admiration, as huge steam engines were driving piles into the bottom of the river, struggling against the current. The Blagoveshchensky Bridge was opened on 21 November 1850. The ceremony was attended by over 50 thousand people. After the service in the church Tsar Nicholas I with his entourage and Colonel Kierbedź walked over the bridge to Vasilyevsky Island. To honor the occasion a commemorative medal was minted, and the tsar promoted Stanisław Kierbedź to the rank of Major General.

History of the bridge
The bridge has changed its name several times. In the construction phase it was called the Nevsky Bridge. After the tsar's death in 1855 it was renamed Nikolaevsky Bridge, and in 1918, to commemorate one of the leaders of the 1905 revolution, it was given the name of Lieutenant Schmidt. In 1936-1938 the structure of the bridge was significantly changed, the cast iron arches (later moved to Tver on the Volga River) were replaced with steel elements. The supports and railings are still preserved from the original bridge, while the old lamp posts adorn the Field of Mars.

In 1952 a huge plaque was placed on the bridge pavilion, bearing the following inscription: The bridge named after Lieutenant Schmidt, the first permanent bridge over the Neva River, erected in the years 1842-1850, according to the design of the Russian (sic!) engineer S.W. Kierbedź. In 1937-1938 the bridge was built again according to the design of professor G.P. Perederyi and architect L.A. Noskov.

The bridge underwent another thorough remodelling in 2005-2007. The grand opening on August 15, 2007 was attended by Kierbedź’s great-granddaughter living in Italy. At that time the historical name was restored and a new plaque commemorating the bridge's creators was put up. Currently a model of the bridge can be seen in St. Petersburg’s Museum of Bridges.

Stanisław Kierbedź in St. Petersburg
The Blagoveshchensky Bridge was an outstanding engineering achievement. It also established Kierbedź’s professional reputation; he later became the creator of the first permanent bridge over the Vistula River in Warsaw and managed the construction of, among others, the St. Petersburg-Warsaw Railway. He also held various important ministerial positions. As he was working in the Russian imperial service, he was considered a Russian engineer, but he invariably perceived himself as a Polish national. He was a protector of his compatriots, wherever he could he would employ Polish engineers, he helped Polish students. He contributed to the construction of the Roman Catholic Church of St. Stanislaw in St. Petersburg. His house, famous for its hospitality, played a significant role in the life of St. Petersburg's Polish community.