Saint Petersburg is often called The City of 300 Bridges. It is built on what originally was more than 100 islands created by a maze of rivers, creeks, canals and other bodies of water, with the Neva river being the main waterway.
The first bridge across the Neva appeared in the 19th century. Today, there are 342 bridges of different sizes, styles and constructions, built at different periods. Some of them are small pedestrian bridges, others are huge transport arteries.
There are bridges decorated in medieval styles with lions, horses and griffins, and there are modern styles lacking any decor.
A familiar view of St. Petersburg is a drawbridge across the Neva. Every night during the navigation period from April to November, the bridges across Neva are drawn to let ships pass through the city.
