Walks on the rivers and channels of Petersburg, driving on boats in water areas of Neva and gulf of Finland, fascinating excursions!

Griboedov's channel

Griboedov's channel was generated on a place of old small river Krivushi (or deaf small river) which was here for long years prior to the beginning of construction of Petersburg. The right coast of this small river has started to be built up with houses of employees of sea department in the thirtieth years of XVIII century. On the sites given under construction, the wood was cut down, the coast was equipped. Thus that owners will not destroy here such trees as an oak, a linden and a maple, and will replace them in the kitchen gardens or gardens especially stipulated.

In the end of the thirtieth years of XVIII century of the Moika river and Krivusha have connected by Konushenny the channel that has promoted drainage of this area. On left side of small rivers Krivushi there were the three-tier houses belonging to Konushenny department (nowadays it is houses № 3, 5, 7, 9 on quay of the channel of Griboedov). Apartments of employees, and also transport sheds and other service constructions here settled down. By the end of the thirtieth years have been constructed wooden Vosnesensky and Small Saarsky (now Demidov the bridge) bridges. During board of empress Elizabeth Petrovny the project in which it was provided expansion and a deepening of small river Krivasha has been developed, to straighten its bends and to dress coast in a granite. The new channel should connect the rivers Moika and Fontanka. Then this project has not been carried out. In second half XVIII centuries Kharlamov the bridge, and under F.B.Rastrelli's project - a private residence for A.N.Vilboa (the house № 16) has been constructed.

In the sixtieth years Ekaterina II has published the order about cleaning and a deepening of Deaf small river, already in the beginning of works Krivasha have renamed in Ekaterininsky the channel. Scale civil work proceeded practically all second half XVIII centuries. New bridges have been constructed: Kazansky, Kamenny, little-Kalinkin, Pikalov, Aparchin and Kokushkin. Coast of the channel have dressed in a granite, have established pig-iron protections. In the end of XVIII century building of Assignation bank has been erected. In XIX century the accomplishment of the channel and construction of new buildings in nearby territories have proceeded. Have appeared Lion's, foot Bank, "three-knee" (nowadays it consists of two – a little-Konushenny and Theatrical) and new-Nikolsky bridges. In 1801 – 1811 on coast of Ekaterininsky the channel the Kazansky cathedral has been erected.

In second half XIX centuries above the future of the channel clouds have started to be condensed: was considered, that it does not carry out to the right degree transport function, and does not protect Petersburg from flooding. Ekaterininsky the channel wished to fall asleep, and on its place to lay the prospectus with the horse-railway and parkways for walks. During long disputes and discussions the Municipal duma in 1872 rejected this project. In 1881 on quay Ekaterininskogo of the channel murder of emperor Alexander II has been happened, and twenty six years on this place have finished construction of a cathedral of Christ Revival or Rescuee-on-Blood. In 1896 the foot Italian bridge has been erected, and in 1904 on quay of the channel there was a building known now under the name «the House of the Book». In the beginning of XX century again there was an idea to fall asleep the channel, and again it has been rejected by the Petersburg Duma. Before revolution have been constructed Podjachesky, new-Konushenny (now Grinevitsky the bridge), Mogilyovsky bridges. In days of the Soviet authority the channel has got the modern name – Griboedov's channel.