Engineer Evgeny Paton played a direct role in the design and construction of the bridge. Total length: 1,543 metres (5,062 ft). Width: 21 metres (69 ft). Originally he came up with a revolutionary, even on a global scale, innovative idea of all-welding the structure instead of using the traditional riveted design. He urged the designers that such approach will greatly improve the reliability of the structure, but initially his idea did not find any support amongst the professionals. Eventually his idea of all-welding did receive the support, as he was given the go-head to start building the bridge by the head of the Ukrainian Communist Party, Nikita Khrushchev, who personally oversaw the entire operation.
TIMELAPSE

KIEV, UKRAINE