dike separating it from the mainland were reclaimed for development (today, they form the Golden Mile of Khamovniki District). The Moskva River was reduced to about its present-day width (see the 1824 map). The eastern end of the Canal was also reduced to its ordinary width of 30 metres. In 1835, the city built Babyegorodskaya Dam west of the island. The dam was disassembled each autumn and set back in place after the spring flood, so it was good for shipping but useless against floods. A new channel extension east was built to bypass the old 90-degree turn; as the 1853 map shows, the new canal cut Red Hills neighborhood away from the mainland. For a while, the island was cut into three parts, then, when Balchug moat was filled, in two. 1930s – present day The completion of the Moscow Canal (1932–1938) raised the water level in the Moskva River and the canal, enabling reliable shipping throughout summer seasons. Locks on the canal were demolished (this function was taken by Pererva locks downstream). The moat parallel to Garden Ring was also filled in the 1930s, with the completion of Bolshoy Krasnokholmsky Bridge. The first bridges of the Soviet age, Komissariatsky bridge (1927) and the pedestrian Zverev Bridge (1927) were built with sufficient clearance. Chugunny Bridge (1889) was also compatible with new requirements (completion of a new Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge diverted traffic away from this bridge). All other bridges were rebuilt in the 1930s to 6-8 traffic lanes. In the 1960s, Schluzovoy Bridge construction connected the embankments on the eastern tip of the island. Chugunny Bridge steel deck was replaced with concrete. Sadovnichesky Bridge was completed in 1963; it is actually a water pipe conduit with a secondary function of a pedestrian bridge. Two more pedestrian bridges, Second Schluzovoy and Luzhkov Bridge, were added in the 1990s. Construction of the Patriarshy Bridge extension over the canal is currently under way. The city planners entertain plans to build a parking lot under the canal, from across Golutvin sloboda office block (see photo above), to Tretyakov Gallery. This would require setting up dams, temporarily drying up the canal and digging the open pit. References Russian: Maps of Moscow www.testan.narod.ru Russian: Носарев В.А., Скрябина, Т.А., "Мосты Москвы", М, "Вече", 2004, стр. 23–26 (Bridges of Moscow, 2004, p. 23–26) Canals in Russia History of Moscow Geography of Moscow Canals opened in 1786