As you know, Paris was born on a small island on the Seine River and it was from here that it began. Therefore, the first crossings in Paris connected the island of Cite with the right and left banks of the Seine. At first they were built of wood, but later they were converted into stone, and many were even built with buildings. The history of inhabited bridges in Paris is not simple. The first shops of artisans and merchants appeared already in the 12th century, and by the 15th century the first residential buildings and shops could be seen on the Notre-Dame Bridge (Pont Notre-Dame). Thanks to them, he quickly became shopping mall cities. However, by order of the king in 1786, all buildings were demolished from the bridge.
New bridge (pont Neuf) is in fact the oldest surviving one. Its construction began at the end of the 16th century, when Paris already had 4 river crossings, but they could not cope with the ever-increasing traffic. He was needed in order to defuse the situation on Memenalny and the Notre Dame Bridge. The peculiarity of this viaduct at that time was that there were no buildings on it.
This, in turn, caused indignation among merchants who were accustomed to seeing bridges in Paris built up with shops and residential buildings. Undoubtedly, this building is one of the symbols of the city, for which it was repeatedly mentioned in the works of artists and writers.
Bridge of Changes (Pont de Change), on its site, like on the site of most crossings in the center of Paris, there was originally a wooden structure in the 9th century. Subsequently, around 1638, a stone bridge was built, on which there were about 140 houses and more than 100 money changers, for which it was named so.
The royal development agreement stated that all buildings must correspond and fit together, all structures must be made of the same material and be on the same level. As a result, all the buildings on the bridge looked like two rows of identical houses with shops and shops on the ground floor, which overlooked the narrow street between them.
By the time the first iron appeared in Paris Pont des Arts, inhabited bridges already had a reputation as unsanitary, dangerous and unsightly structures. This viaduct, built in 1801-1804 by order of Emperor Napoleon, is now pedestrian.
Therefore, many passersby stop here just to have a snack or sit on a bench, because the view from the building and the place itself are of extraordinary beauty. This crossing also connects the French Academy, and since the Louvre was previously called the Palace of Arts, the bridge began to be called accordingly.
Pont Alexandre III is directly related to Russia. It was built in 1896-1900 in honor of the conclusion of a military alliance between France and Russia. And it was named after the father of Emperor Nicholas II, Alexander III, who, during construction, himself laid one of the stones at the foundation of the structure.
Many consider this the most luxurious in Paris. And indeed, even from afar, the structure sparkles with gilded figures located on four 17-meter columns and at the same time amazes with its lightness, because the bridge is single-span.
Bridge of Concorde (Pont Concorde) It is known for being built from the stone remains of a destroyed bridge, and in honor of this it was first called the Bridge of the Revolution.
Now it bears the name on the right bank of the Seine, which it connects with the Bourbon Palace on the left bank. Today, this bridge in Paris ranks first in terms of traffic intensity.
So, the history and development of Paris is inextricably linked with its bridges, of which there are 38 only within the boulevard rings. And any tourist can happily spend more than one day studying and contemplating the bridges of paris.
There are thirty-seven bridges in Paris that overlook the Seine.
Bridges built in different time, were not always preferred by Parisians. Parisians usually used a boat or ferry to get to the other side of the river or to one of the natural islands cities. Some famous bridges deserve a more detailed mention.
This bridge, which was opened for the Universal Exhibition in 1900, is named after Emperor Alexander III, the penultimate emperor of Russia. It has a metal frame and consists of thirty-two brass chandeliers and numerous sculptures, including winged deities, groups of lions led by children and nymphs. The first stones were laid in 1896 by Tsar Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and President of the Republic Felix Faure.
Pont des Arts
Currently, Le Pont Des Arts or the Bridge of Arts is very popular among tourists because they put love locks on the bridge. However, the city of Paris does not support this practice because the weight of the padlocks poses a risk to the building's structure. This bridge was announced historical monument in 1975, but note that the current version was actually reconstructed in 1984. The explosions of two world wars weakened the structure, forcing the closure of the bridge in 1977, which collapsed in 1979.
The Pont de Bir-Hakeim, formerly known as the Pont Passy, is a bridge erected in memory of the Free French. The bridge bears its current name in honor of the Battle of Bir Hakeim, which took place in Libya in 1942.
Charles de Gaulle Bridge
The modern design of the Charles de Gaulle Bridge seems strange in the landscape of the Seine. Its white board shape and airplane wing make it a remarkable element of the neighborhood between Bercy and the François Mitterrand library.
The stones of the Pont de la Concorde were discovered in 1791, and come from the Bastille, destroyed during the uprising of July 14, 1789. In 1810, at the initiative of Napoleon Bonaparte, decorations were added to the structure, which was quite simple at first glance.
The Mirabeau Bridge, famous for the poem by Guillaume Apollinaire and the song by Léo Ferré in 1973, crosses the Seine in the 15th arrondissement of the French capital.
Contrary to its name, Pont Neuf or New Bridge is the oldest bridge in Paris. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 due to its age and this bridge is a monument that appears in many pictures of Paris. It is also a bridge that is used to measure the flow of the Seine.
Pont Royal was built on the initiative of Louis XII after the wreck of a ferry crossing the Seine. It is the third oldest bridge in Paris and was declared a historical monument in 1939.
Discovering the architecture of the bridges of Paris is a real journey back in time. And the reasons for their construction and decoration are part of the history of the city.
Bridges of ParisAlexander III Bridge
The Pont Alexandre III is a single-arch bridge spanning the Seine in Paris between Les Invalides and the Champs-Élysées. The length of the bridge is 160 meters. In order not to obscure the panorama of the Champs Elysees, the height of the structure does not exceed six meters, which at the time of its creation was considered an amazing achievement.
The bridge was founded to commemorate the Franco-Russian Union by Emperor Nicholas II in October 1896 and was erected in four years. Named in honor of his father, Emperor Alexander III. It opened on the eve of the World Exhibition of 1900 (the grand prize of which went to the project of a bridge across the Yenisei in Krasnoyarsk) in the presence of the Russian ambassador L.P. Urusov. Since 1975, the bridge has been protected by the state as a historical and architectural monument.
Many guidebooks describe the Pont Alexandre III as the most elegant in Paris. The decorative decoration of the bridge, with figures of pegasi, nymphs and angels, is a striking example of the Beaux Arts style and has much in common with the design of the Grand Palais on the right.
On the sides of the entrance to the bridge there are 17-meter lampposts, above which bronze figures hover, symbolizing Science, Art, Industry and Battle. In the center of the bridge arches are a nymph of the Seine with the coat of arms of France and a nymph of the Neva with the coat of arms of Imperial Russia, both made in copper by Georges Recipo.
La France de Charlemagne by Alfred-Charles Lenoir
La France moderne by Gustave Michel
The Alexander III Bridge has a “sister” in St. Petersburg - the Trinity Bridge across the Neva, designed by the French. It was built at the same time as the bridge over the Seine, and its construction also emphasized the cultural and political closeness of the two countries: French President Felix Faure was present at the groundbreaking ceremony.
La France de la Renaissance by Jules Coutan
Statue la France de Louis XIV sur le pont Alexandre III
Bridge of Arts
The Pont des Arts is the first iron bridge in Paris across the Seine River, now a pedestrian bridge, connecting in a straight line the Institute of France (of which the famous French Academy is part) and the square courtyard of the Louvre Palace, called the “Palace of Arts” in the era of the First Empire.
Bridge length: 155 m; width: 11 m.
Construction: the bridge consists of seven arched spans approx. 22 m, standing on 6 supports made of reinforced concrete with stone cladding.Location: Pont des Arts connects the 1st (right bank) and 6th arrondissement (left bank).Metro: line 1, Louvre - Rivoli station or line 7, station Pont Neuf.
Alma Bridge
The Pont Alma is a 150-meter arched bridge over the Seine in Paris, named after the French victory over the Russians at the Battle of Alma in the Crimean War. It was opened near Place Alma by Emperor Napoleon III on April 2, 1856, and for the World Exhibition of 1900 its length was doubled by adding a pedestrian bridge.
Each of the four abutments of the bridge was once decorated with statues of soldiers - a zouave, a grenadier, an artilleryman and an infantryman. These statues were convenient for determining the level of the Seine: when the water covered the soles of the Zouave’s feet, the public’s access to the river was blocked by the police, and when the water reached hip level, river navigation was closed.
"Grenadier"
In 1970-1974, the ancient bridge was replaced with a modern one in order to expand it for the needs of road traffic. Currently, of the four statues on the bridge, only the figure of the Zouave has been preserved. The rest were taken outside of Paris: for example, the “Infantryman” stands in the Vincennes Fort Gravel.
"Infantryman"
Having been refused permission to exhibit his paintings at the official Salon, the artist Edouard Manet built a barracks near the Pont Alma to display them. The action of Remarque's novel “The Arc de Triomphe” begins on this bridge.
At the entrance to the bridge in 1999, a copy of the flame of the torch of the Statue of Liberty, known as the “Flame of Liberty,” was installed. After the English Princess Diana died in the tunnel near the Alma Bridge, this sculptural composition was reinterpreted as a monument in her honor.
Arcolsky Bridge
- a bridge in the center of Paris, connects the island of Cité with the right, northern bank of the Seine and the square in front of the capital's city hall, the former Grevsky.
The current bridge was installed in 1856; This is the second bridge on this site; the original one was a suspension and pedestrian bridge (1828) and was simply called Grevsky. The current name was given by Napoleon III in honor of his uncle's victory in the Battle of Arcole.
The Arcole Bridge is the very first metal bridge in Paris; made of cast iron; bridge width 20 meters; It is a metal structure in the form of an arch with a span of 80 m, supported by stone supports. Installed in 1856 under the direction of engineer Alphonse Oudry (1819-1869); the work was completed in a short time, in just 3 months.
Archdiocese Bridge The Archdiocese Bridge is a bridge in the center of Paris that connects the Ile de la Cité with the left south coast The Seine and, administratively, the 4th arrondissement of the capital with the 5th arrondissement. Stone bridge 68 m long and 11 m wide; a three-arch bridge with openings of 15, 17 and 15 m. Low arches have always prevented the passage of high river traffic, but, despite the decision made in 1910, the bridge has never been replaced.
Since 2010, the Archdiocese Bridge has been a symbolic place for loving people, attaching metal locks to it as a sign of their love.
Named after the archdiocese located nearby, standing on the southeastern side of Notre Dame, between cathedral and Senoy. The archdiocese building was demolished after anti-clerical riots on February 14 and 15, 1831, when it was looted and destroyed.
The Archdiocese Bridge is hung with metal locks. Built in 1828 by the engineer Plouard for the Invalides Bridge Society after the demolition of the suspension bridge at the Invalides. The existing toll station for crossing the bridge was purchased by the city authorities in 1850.
Debilly Bridge
View from the Jena Bridge to the Debilly Bridge
Pont Debilly is a bridge in Paris over the Seine, connecting the embankment New York on the right bank from the Brenly embankment near Eiffel Tower on the left bank of the Seine.
The bridge was conceived as a temporary structure in the alignment of Avenue Albert de Mun only for the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. It was intended to provide quick pedestrian access from the Army and Navy pavilions to an exhibition recreating old Paris. Initially it was called the Military Exhibition Bridge or the Magdeburg Bridge, and only in 1908 it was named after the French general Jean Louis Debilly, who died in 1808. In 1906, the bridge was moved to a new permanent location opposite Rue Monutuncion.
The pedestrian bridge is built on a metal frame supported by two stone piers on the banks of the river, and is decorated with dark green ceramic tiles to create the impression of waves. Along with the Eiffel Tower, it is the second metal structure that characterizes the engineering achievements of its era. However, in 1941 pedestrian bridge Debilly was in danger of disappearing when the president of the architectural society described it as a forgotten accessory of a bygone event. Fortunately, like its contemporaries Pont Alexandre III and the Austerlitz Viaduct, the Debilly Bridge was included in the supplementary register of historical monuments in 1966.
Bridge of Invalides The Pont des Invalides is an arched bridge in Paris over the Seine, located between the Alma and Alexandre III bridges near the Invalides.
The history of the bridge begins in the 1820s. French engineer Claude Louis Marie Henri Navier proposed a suspension bridge project in 1821. In 1824-1826 the bridge was under construction, but was not completed. In 1829, a new bridge with two pillars and three porticoes was opened. But due to wear and tear in 1850, access to the bridge was limited. In 1854, the structure was destroyed and construction began on a more modern bridge, completed a year later in time for the 1855 World Exhibition in Paris.
The constructed bridge is a four-arch bridge (two arches of 34 m each and two of 36 m each). The length of the bridge is 152 m, the height above the water is 18 m (the lowest bridge over the Seine within Paris). The width of the roadway is 14 m, two sidewalks are 2 m each. Since its commissioning, the bridge has been reconstructed several times. In the winter of 1880, two arches were destroyed, but were restored within a year. The last major reconstruction took place in 1956, when the sidewalks were widened.
The figure on the central pillar of the bridge symbolizes Napoleon's victories on land and sea, while the sculpted heads on the other pillars represent war trophies.
Carrousel Bridge
- bridge over the Seine in Paris from the Tuileries embankment to the Voltaire embankment.
The first bridge on this site was called Saint-Pierre since 1831. In 1834, King Louis Philippe I named it the Pont Carrousel because it was opposite the Place Carrousel, which took its name from the military riding demonstration held at this site under Louis XIV from 5 to 7 June 1662 on the occasion of the birthday of his son.
Statue of the "Seine" by sculptor Louis Petitot on the Carrousel Bridge, with the Louvre in the background.
The architect Antoine Remy Polonceau managed to create a design that was innovative in several aspects. On the one hand, it was an arch bridge design instead of the suspension bridges common at that time. A relatively new material was used: cast iron with wood. At each corner of the bridge, stone allegorical sculptures in the classical style by Louis Petitot (1846) were erected, symbolizing industry, abundance, the city of Paris and the Seine. The bridge had a length of 169.5 m and a width between railings of 11.85 m. It consisted of three arches of 47.67 m each.
In 1906, after seven decades of use, a major restoration was required: the wooden elements were replaced with iron ones. However, the bridge was too narrow for traffic in the twentieth century. In 1930, its height above the river was considered insufficient for river transport, and it was decided to abandon it in favor of a completely new structure several tens of meters downstream.
Architects Gaspard, Turri, Gustav Umbendstock and engineer Lang tried to preserve the silhouette of the bridge familiar to Parisians. The new three-arch reinforced concrete bridge, 33 m wide, built in 1935-1939, reaches the right bank opposite the Louvre in a direct line with the Arc de Triomphe Carrousel
Leopold Sédar Senghor Bridge (until 2006 - Solferino Bridge)
- a pedestrian bridge over the Seine in Paris between the Orsay Museum on the left bank and the Tuileries Garden on the right bank of the Seine.
For 100 years, the cast-iron Solferino Bridge, designed for the passage of carriages, connected the Quai Anatole France and the Tuileries Quai. It was created by the authors of the Pont des Invalides, Paul Martin Gallocher de Lagalicerie and Julius Savarin, and opened in 1861 by Napoleon III. The bridge was named after the French victory at the Battle of Solferino. Having lost its strength over time (especially due to collisions with barges), the bridge was demolished and replaced in 1961 by a steel pedestrian bridge, which was in turn destroyed in 1992.
A new pedestrian bridge was built in 1997-1999. under the direction of engineer and architect Mark Mimram. This metal bridge is unique in architecture and is covered with wood from exotic Brazilian Tabebuia trees, which gives it a light and warm look. The strength of the bridge, however, is beyond doubt - the foundations on both sides are concrete columns, buried 15 m into the ground, and the structure itself consists of six 150-ton parts, built by the Eiffel Engineering Company
Small Bridge
- a stone bridge over the Seine in the center of Paris, leading from the left bank to the Ile de la Cité. The bridge is located between the Pont Saint-Michel and the Double Bridge and connects the Quai de Montebello in the 4th arrondissement with the Quai Saint-Michel in the 5th arrondissement.
Bridge Changed The Bridge of Changers (French: Pont au Change) is a bridge in the center of Paris, spanning the Seine River. The Pont de Change is located on the border of the 1st and 4th arrondissements and connects the Ile de la Cité at the level of the Palais de Justice and the Conciergerie with the right bank near the Chatelet theater. The bridge got its name because of the many money changers’ shops that were previously located in the houses that built up the bridge until 1788.
Bridge length: 103 m
Width: 30 m, including two sidewalks 6 m wide each
Type of construction: arch bridge with 3 arched spans 31 m long Architects: Paul-Martin Gallocher de Lagalisserie and Paul Vaudry Construction took place from 1658 to 1660 Metro: lines 1, 4, 7, 11, 14, Châtelet station
The Change Bridge, lined with buildings. 1756 The first wooden bridge, located on the site of the current one, was presumably built under King Charles the Bald in the 9th century after the cessation of attacks on Paris by the Normans.
The bridge was a continuation of the Rue Saint-Denis, leading from Flanders, and led directly to the royal palace on the Ile de la Cité, for which it was named Royal (Pont du Roy). To protect the Cité, the Grand Châtelet fortress was built on the right bank in 1130, but after the construction of the city wall under Philip II Augustus, the fortress lost its defensive function and served as a prison until 1802. Now this place is the Chatelet Square.
As was customary in the Middle Ages, the bridge was so densely packed with buildings that it was impossible to see the river. 140 houses and 112 shops and workshops of artisans, as well as a mill, made the bridge an important financial point in Paris. Money and goods were exchanged on the bridge, hence the name of the bridge. Over the next centuries, the bridge changed its name several more times: Grand Pont (1273), pont à Coulons, pont aux Colombes, pont aux Meuniers, pont de la Marchandise, pont aux Marchands and pont aux Oiseaux. The Money Changer Bridge often collapsed and had to be repaired frequently. On this occasion, the 17th century poet Claude Le Petit wrote:
Even if they make you look bad and they’re always fixing you, it doesn’t matter! You are rightly called the Bridge of Changers: After all, you are always changing.
After the royal court moved to the Louvre, the road from the palace to Notre Dame, where the royal retinue went to services, passed along the Changes Bridge, so it was decided to decorate the bridge with sculptures of French kings, including the young Louis XIV. Today these sculptures are exhibited in the Louvre.
Demolition of houses on the bridge changed in 1788 (painting by Hubert Robert)
At the end of the 18th century, all buildings from the bridge were demolished. The bridge acquired its modern appearance during the Second Empire under Baron Osman. In 1860, engineers Romani and Vaudreuil erected a modern bridge during the reconstruction of the entire city. The axis of the bridge is perpendicular to the river, the structure is a continuation of the perspective of Palace Boulevard, the new Chatelet Square and then the Sevastopol and Strasbourg boulevards.
Mirabeau Bridge
The Mirabeau Bridge is a bridge over the Seine in Paris, built in 1895-1897. Since April 29, 1975 it has the status of a historical monument.
The bridge connects the XV (Left Bank) and XVI (Right Bank) municipal districts of Paris. It also connects Rue de la Convention on the Left Bank with Rue Remusat on the Right Bank. On the left bank there is a RER station, line “C” “Gare Javel”, nearby is the metro station “Javel-André Citroën”
The decision to build the bridge was made by the President of the Republic, Sadi Carnot, on January 12, 1893. The bridge was designed by engineer Paul Rabel with the participation of engineers Jean Rezal and Amadeus Albi. The bridge is named after the French politician Honore Gabriel Mirabeau.
The bridge is 173 m long and 20 m wide (12 m for the roadway and 4 m for the sidewalks). The main arch of the bridge is 93 m long, the two side arches are 32.4 m long. The two pylons of the bridge are built in the form of ships, decorated with allegorical statues by the sculptor Jean-Antoine Enjalbert
What could be more beautiful and romantic than bridges over the river? Paris wouldn’t be itself if it weren’t for its bridges. They connect the two banks of the Seine and give the city a special charm.
All the bridges here are different, each has its own history and is a unique work of art. Therefore, many French poets believed that the bridges of Paris are the soul of the city; they inspired their creativity, as well as artists.
There are a total of 37 bridges in Paris, built at different times: some that are several hundred years old, but there are also modern marvels of engineering.
On my first boat trips, I looked more around at the embankment, historical buildings, bridges floated past me, literally and figuratively.
But it turns out they are very interesting and have their own history.
I invite you to take a short walk with me along the Seine and admire its bridges. We will start it from the pier near the Eiffel Tower Bateaux Parisiens.
And the first bridge that we will meet will be the 150-meter arched bridge Alma (Pont de l "Alma). It was built back in 1856 under Emperor Napoleon III.
But it got its name, sadly enough, in honor of the victory of the French army over Russian troops in the battle of the Alma River in 1854 during the Crimean War. But these are things of the past, so we won’t be upset about this.
Initially, the bridge was decorated with figures of soldiers from various French regiments that took part in the Crimean War: a grenadier, a zouave, a mountain rifleman, an artilleryman. When it was rebuilt, only the figure of the zouave remained, which Parisians use as a landmark during floods. If the water rises above the Zouave's knees, it is considered that there is a danger of serious flooding.
When entering the bridge you can see the Flame of Freedom. This gilded copy of the torch of the Statue of Liberty was given by America to France as a sign of friendship between the two countries.
The Alma Bridge became widely known due to the fact that Princess Diana died in the tunnel under it. Many people think that this torch was installed in memory of her, but this is not so.
The history of the bridge begins back in 1820. French engineer Claude Louis Marie Henri Navier proposed a design for a suspension bridge. In 1824-1826 the bridge was under construction, but was not completed. In 1829, a new bridge with two pillars and three porticoes was opened.
But gradually the bridge wore out and was destroyed, but was restored for the World Exhibition held in 1855 in Paris.
The figure on the central pillar of the bridge symbolizes Napoleon's victories on land and sea, while the sculpted heads on the other pillars represent war trophies.
But in front of us is an elegant arched bridge that spans the Seine and connects the Invalides with the Champs Elysees. This can be said to be a piece of Russia in France - the Pont Alexandre III.
The bridge, named after the Russian Emperor Alexander III, was founded in October 1896 by his son Nicholas II and marked the strengthening of the Franco-Russian Union. The bridge was built in five years (1896-1900). The opening of the bridge took place at the legendary world exhibition of 1900.
The composition includes seventeen-meter lamp posts framing the entrance to the Alexander III Bridge, and bronze figures representing Art, War, Battle and Agriculture. The center of the bridge arches is decorated with a copper nymph of the Seine with the coat of arms of France and a nymph of the Neva with the coat of arms of Tsarist Russia. The decoration of this structure, containing figures of pegasuses, angels and nymphs, is made in a playful and at the same time noble eclectic Beaux-Arts style, combining the best traditions of the French Baroque and Italian Renaissance.
Of course, compared to other bridges, our bridge (it’s ours!) is the most luxurious and pompous!
After the bridge was built, the French were surprised and delighted (in my opinion, mostly by the extravagance of the Russians).
In St. Petersburg, the Alexander III Bridge has a “brother”, also a symbol of friendship between the two countries - the Trinity Bridge. It was designed by the French, and French President Felix Faure was present at the laying (he did not live to see the opening).
It is believed that a passionate kiss on the Alexander III Bridge will bring the couple in love a long and happy family life.
The next bridge is Concorde or Concorde.
The arched Bridge of Concorde (Pont de la Concorde), 153 meters long and 34 meters wide, connects the Place de la Concorde with the Bourbon Palace and is a fairly important transport interchange between the two banks of the Seine.
The Pont de la Concorde is famous primarily for the fact that stone from the destroyed Bastille was used in its construction.
Previously, it was decorated with eight statues of Napoleon Bonaparte's generals killed in battle, but they were so heavy that they were removed and taken to Versailles.
Just beyond the Ponte de Concorde is the modest, narrow pedestrian bridge of Solferino. It connects the Orsay Museum and the Tuileries embankment.
The bridge was built in 1861 and was named in honor of the French victory over Italy, in the Italian village of Solferino.
The bridge became unstable over time and in 1997, construction began on a bridge designed by Mark Mimrama, who proposed a lightweight and sophisticated design. It is more than simple: two mesh arches are connected by traverses supporting the deck, which is made of steel and wood. The entrance to the bridge can be made from four places, which for some reason are not symmetrically located.
And it’s so airy that I saw it at the very last moment, which is why it turned out “modest” for me.
The name of the bridge changed in 2006 in honor of the first President of France and the bridge became known as the Leopold Sédar Senghor Bridge of Senegal.
And behind it we see another bridge with a great name - Royal.
This is one of the oldest bridges. It was first built back in 1632, after which it burned, was repeatedly flooded and was finally demolished during one of the floods.
Louis XIV financed the construction of a new, now stone, bridge and gave it the name Pont Royal (Royal Bridge).
On its outermost bulls there are marks of the levels to which the water rose during floods.
The Carrousel Bridge, located opposite the gates of the Louvre, only gives the impression of being ancient - this is undoubtedly due to the facing stone, which hides the reinforced concrete nature of the structure. The current bridge was only built between 1935 and 1939, just before World War II. Its length reaches 168 meters.
On both sides of the bridge, on high pedestals, there are four allegorical figures depicting abundance, industry, Paris and the Seine.
The first bridge on this site was called Saint-Pierre since 1831. In 1834, King Louis Philippe I named it the Pont Carrousel because it was opposite the Arc de Triomphe of Carrousel. But it became outdated, became too narrow and not high, so in the 30s of the last century it was rebuilt and moved several tens of meters downstream, where it is now located.
But the next bridge is well known to lovers. This is the Pont des Arts - the first iron bridge in Paris, stretching across the Seine. It connects the French Academy and the Louvre and is exclusively for pedestrians.
It was built in 1801-1804 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte. Since at the beginning of the 19th century the Louvre was called the Palace of Arts because of the collections of works of art presented in it, the new bridge that was built began to be called the Pont des Arts.
Subsequently, it was reconstructed several times.
The Pont des Arts is quite popular among Parisians - in the summer they have picnics right on the bridge. And many famous artists, such as Auguste Renoir and Nicolas de Staël, depicted this bridge in their paintings. Contemporary artists quite often exhibit their works here.
The lovers of Paris chose it as the place of a kind of vow of love. They hang their locks on it, and throw the key into the Seine, thus sealing their love. Some people don’t have a lock, but the desire to seal love is great; they tie a ribbon or lace, and sometimes even more intimate things. But in Lately There are no problems with this. You can buy a lock here on the bridge from artists or in souvenir shops.
Can you imagine how many keys lie at the bottom of the Seine?! This tradition creates problems for the Paris City Hall. More than 1,600 “love locks” were removed from the Pont des Arts during the latest sweep, with the oldest dating back to 2008. The names engraved on them indicate that couples from all over the world have loved this tradition.
And now we are approaching the New Bridge (Pont Neuf). Despite the name, this is one of the oldest bridges in Paris. It crosses the arrow of the Ile de la Cité and consists, as it were, of two parts. The southern part of the bridge has 5 spans, the northern - 7.
King Henry II decided to build a bridge, but the cost of construction was prohibitive at that time. Construction began by Henry III, who laid the first stone in 1578. After a long period of inactivity due to the War of Religions, New Bridge was completed during the reign of Henry IV, crowned in 1607.
It was the first bridge that did not support houses and also had sidewalks, protecting pedestrians from mud and horses. Pedestrians could also enter the bastions to give way to passing carts.
At the point where the bridge crosses the Ile de la Cité there is a bronze equestrian statue of Henry IV. It was commissioned from Giambologna by order of Marie de' Medici, Henry's widow and regent of France, in 1614. During the French Revolution, it was destroyed, but restored, and cast in the mold used in the manufacture of the first statue. Inside the statue, the new sculptor François-Frédéric Lemot placed four boxes containing the life story of Henry IV, a 17th-century parchment certifying the authenticity of the statue, a document on how the new statue was made and a list of people who made voluntary contributions for the statue's creation.
The events that took place on the bridge can be considered significant both for Paris and for the country as a whole.
The last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Jacques de Molay, was burned at the stake on the Ile de la Cité, near Pont Neuf, on March 18, 1314.
In 1789, the royal ministers were burned, the already dead Concini, the hated adviser to Marie de Medici, was beheaded here, and during the Terror, carts drove to the right bank of the Seine, carrying the aristocracy to the guillotine.
But, despite its ominous history, the bridge is still a favorite meeting place for Parisians. True, almost all the famous bridges of Paris are suitable for these purposes, and especially for romantic dates.
The Saint Michel Bridge (Pont de Saint-Michel) connects Place Saint-Michel with the Ile de la Cité. The bridge was named after the nearby chapel of Saint-Michel. Built in 1378, under Napoleon III, it, like many of the Paris bridges we examined, was rebuilt several times, most recently in 1857, and in this form has survived to this day. It is decorated with the emperor's monogram.
Since the bridges are located close to each other, we soon approached the Double Toll Bridge. Oh, what a name! In Russian, this bridge connecting Rene Viviani Square with Notre Dame de Paris is usually called the Double Toll Bridge or Double Denier Bridge. In any case, the point is the same: for passage on this crossing they charged twice as much as usual. Why?
In 1634, when a bridge was built on this site, the Parisian hospital for the poor, Hôtel-Dieu ("House of God"), was located on the left bank of the Ile de la Cité. Hotel Dieu - "House of God" in Paris
The bridge was conceived not as a crossing, but as part of a hospital - there were wards on it. Below, the Augustinian nuns from the Hôtel-Dieu washed hospital linens in the Seine from morning to evening. A third of the bridge's width was left for pedestrians and carts, and local residents began to use it. That’s when the hospital introduced double switching fees to make money. The Parisians were indignant (they didn’t like this neighborhood before - the hospital dumped sewage directly into the Seine), things came to fights and even murders of toll collectors.
In 1709, the bridge collapsed due to bad weather. After that, it was built again and reconstructed several times.
It acquired its final form in 1882, becoming cast iron and single-arched. Now it is a short (45 meters long) pedestrian bridge with a warm copper color unique to Parisian bridges. It is located in one of the most beautiful points of Paris - right in front of Notre Dame. Passage through it, of course, is free, but the historical name remains.
Photo from the Internet
The height of the arches of the next one, the Archbishop's Bridge (Pont de l'Archevêché), is the smallest in Paris. It is named after the Archbishopric building destroyed in 1831. The bridge leads from the back of Notre Dame (from the Ile de la Cité) to the Latin Quarter.
It is also loved by lovers; this is where they hang their love locks. It would be interesting to know if this helps preserve love?
This photo is from 2010, so there are still few locks.
We didn’t have time to sail under the previous bridge, and in front of us was already the Tournelle Bridge.
It is one of the oldest bridges in Paris. It was erected in 1651 on the site of the wooden Bridge of the King, built in 1370, demolished during a flood, and connected the island of Saint-Louis with the left bank of the Seine.
Quite a few bridges were built on this site; they were made of wood and were periodically demolished during floods. Then a stone bridge was built, but it too suffered the same fate. The next construction began in 1923-1928. This time, the structure turned out to be more durable, and above the bridge rises a statue of Saint Genevieve, the patroness of Paris, who once protected the city from an attack by the Huns. It is not known whether the secret of the strength of this bridge is hidden in engineering subtleties, or whether it is connected with holy patronage - in any case, this bridge is much more stable than its predecessors!
Now we have reached the Sully Bridge (Le pont de Sully).
The Sully Bridge in Paris connects the Ile Saint-Louis or the Ile Saint-Louis with both banks of the Seine River. It received its name in honor of the Duke of Sully, who was the head of the French government under Henry IV. If you walk from the Boulevard Saint-Germain over the bridge and then follow the Boulevard Henri IV, you end up at the Place de la Bastille.
Like the New Bridge of Paris, this bridge crosses the needle of the island, dividing into two sections.
We also sail under the Pont Louis-Philippe, which connects the Marais with the arrow of the island of Saint-Louis.
Construction began in 1833, the first stone was solemnly laid on July 29 by the then monarch, the same Louis Philippe, in whose honor this bridge was named, timing the start of construction to coincide with the modest three-year anniversary of the July French Revolution of 1830.
During the revolution it was destroyed, but was immediately restored, apparently the revolutionaries realized that they had gotten carried away. The only thing they did was rename it the Reform Bridge.
In 1852, after the death of the king, the name of the bridge was returned. The French are quick-tempered, but quick-witted, really more profitable 💰💰 Booking.
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