Pont Neuf Bridge, Paris
Pont Neuf is the oldest standing
bridge spanning the Seine River in
Paris. Ironically, its name
translates to “New Bridge” in
English.
During the early 1500s, the existing
Pont Notre-Dame became too
overloaded, and requests for a new
bridge were made. However, because
of financial constraints, the
project was not approved until 1577
by King Henry III. The first stone
was laid by the king in 1578, and
the bridge was completed in 1606.
The bridge links the Rive Droite to
the Rive Gauche. It stands at the
western end of the Ile de la Cite,
which was the center of Paris during
the medieval times.
Two separate spans make up the Pont
Neuf. The first span has five arches
that join the left bank of the Ile
de Cite while the other has seven
arches that connect the island to
the right bank.
Old maps of Paris show that the
bridge barely grazed the downstream
end of the Ile de la Cite.
However,
sediment build up from the river and
quais, which are stone-faced
embankments, extended
and increased
the island’s land area.
Now, the island is known as the
Square du Vert-Galant. It is a park
named after Henry IV who is more
commonly known as the “Green
Gallant”. |
