Photo of the Millennium Bridge in Kazan has already become a symbol of the city, just like the photo of the Eiffel Tower is invariably associated with Paris.
This bridge is a total length of 1524 meters, inthe middle of which rises a pylon in the form of a huge letter "M". Pylons height of 45 meters are fixed on the cables. Calculations say that the 64-meter base of this does not require, but despite this, the bridge was decided to make a cable-stayed, for security purposes. There is not a single Kazan who does not know where the "Millennium" is located, and many tourists want to be photographed against its background.
Construction period
The bridge was erected on the site of a temporary pontoonThe bridge, built in 1999. The construction was started in 2004, and by 2005 one of its two parts had already been completed. Since the closure of the bridge led to the formation of serious traffic jams, it was opened when only half was ready and movement was possible only under one of the parts of the letter "M". And since this half looked like the letter "L", in this period the Kazanians called the bridge "Linoleum". Now this comic name has already been forgotten, and the bridge is simply called "Millennium". And already in 2007 the construction was completely completed. The bridge to the city cost more than 100 million dollars.
Location in the city
In addition to unquestionable cultural value, the bridgebears and practical. The city of Kazan crosses the river Kazanka, thereby dividing it into two parts. These two parts and connects in Kazan bridge "Millennium". Residents of the city and guests of the capital, passing through this bridge, directly get from the city center to the largest sleeping area of the city - Novo-Savinovsky. The bridge has three lanes: two in the direction of Novo-Savinovsky and one towards Vakhitovsky districts. In addition, it has a narrower pedestrian path.
On the bridge you can drive either by car orby public transport. Many are interested in how to get to the "Millennium" bridge in Kazan. This can be done on any of the modes of transport. From the direction of the center, you need to get to Gorky Park, and from the Novo-Savinovsky District to Fatykh Amirkhan Street. It is also possible to get to the largest water park right from the center in Kazan via the Millennium Bridge (address: Fatykh Amirkhan street, 1).
Cultural value
The main decoration of the bridge is a giantthe letter "M" is yellow. It is visible from each of the coasts of Kazanka and even far beyond them. The size of the letter is especially noticeable when you drive across the bridge. Sunlight, reflected from the water, very beautifully highlights this colossal structure, and at night the letter is highlighted artificially, decorating the panorama of the city center. And for the residents of Kazan, the bridge serves as a reminder that their city has crossed a thousand-year boundary.
The meaning of the letter "M"
According to the idea, the yellow letter "M", which is visiblefrom afar, is the first letter of the Tatar word "mejellik", which is translated into the Russian "millennium". But since in Russia, and even more beyond its borders, not everyone knows the Tatar, the bridge is called the "Millennium", which also means a millennium, but already in English from the language known to the majority.
The choice of the name of the bridge is not accidental.The bridge was built to the great holiday in the republic - the millennium of its capital Kazan. The age of the city was determined not by the first mention in the annals, but by the age of objects and structures found in the territory of the Kazan Kremlin. For a long time it was impossible to determine exactly the date of the founding of the city, it was conditionally considered to be 1005 year.
Celebrated in 2005 this holiday on a grand scale.This event was also timed for the construction of a subway, a racetrack and the re-creation of the long-destroyed mosque of Kul-Sharif. Since 2005, the Kazan Museum of the Millennium has been operating in the city, where all the items found prove that the city is not less than 1 thousand years old. Do not deny the fact that, perhaps, the city is even much older.
Prototypes
This is not the first bridge with a similar name in the world.There were others, but their name was timed to the end of the second millennium of a new era. Judging by the fact that they were commissioned earlier than Kazan, then, most likely, they served him as prototypes.
In 2000, an opening ceremony was held in Londonof the same name bridge. But outwardly it does not look like the one in Kazan. The bridge also connects two districts of the city, but is designed exclusively for pedestrians. He even filmed a scene from the Harry Potter movie, which was temporarily blocked by the movement on it.
There, in England, in the city of Gateshead there is a bridge"Millennium", which already looks more like Kazan. It was put into operation in 2001. It has an interesting feature: it is the first drawbridge in the world, which, if necessary, does not divorce vessels, but rises. And this happens in less than 5 seconds. What is remarkable, it cost the British much cheaper, at 44 million dollars. And the British themselves, because of an unusual form, nicknamed him "a winking eye."
Many people notice similarities with the large Obukhov Bridge in St. Petersburg. But it was fully operational only in 2008. So it's unlikely that Kazan borrowed the idea from the cultural capital.
