If you take a prolonged walk along the banks of the Seine River, you’ll have the pleasure to take a look at Paris’s numerous and diverse bridges. Interesting background information is attached to most of them, and if you look closely, you might perceive various historical and artistic themes behind their appearances and names. In addition, some of Paris’s bridges are convenient for observing the city’s panorama, while on the others you can enjoy an open-air cultural event. Read on to find out more on the bridges of Paris and carve your own route by the Seine River.
Pont Neuf (New Bridge)
Ironically, this is the name of the Paris’s oldest existing bridge. Once constructed, however, in the 17th century, it was considered a marvel far greater than the Eiffel Tower was in the 19th century. Pont Neuf was the very first bridge made of durable materials, and with its completion, Paris’s banks were truly connected for the first time. Back then, Paris had two outdated wooden bridges, which were far away from one another. Both of them were laden with stores and residential houses, which left only a narrow passage for circulation. People who couldn’t afford to rent a boat to cross the Seine had a hard, time-consuming, time to make it to the other side.
Pont Neuf was completed during the reign of Henri IV (1589 – 1610), a philanthropist who brought significant changes to everyday life of the Parisians. Once finished, the bridge was wider than any street in Paris, allowing unobstructed passage of carriages and pedestrians. Being paved, pedestrians weren’t splashed by the mud when a vehicle passed any more. Side bastions were even used as gathering points, where fresh news was shared. Pont Neuf became the center of the city’s social life, where people went to enjoy various events and be seen in a brand new garb.
Pont Neuf is located at the western tip of the Ile de la Cite.
Pont Alexandre III
The most beautiful bridge of Paris can be found between the Residence of Invalids on the Left Bank and the Grand and Petit (Small) palaces on the right. It was built for the purpose of the 1900 Universal Exhibition, but was also a celebration of the newly formed Franco-Russian alliance. Such an alliance was a response to the growing power of the emerging German Empire, a new European superpower of that time.
The Alexandre III Bridge honors former Russian Emperor, whose name was suggested by his son – Nicholas II Romanov – the last Russian Emperor. The bridge is embellished with various works of art – sculptures and candelabras – but the most striking and symbolic prove to be its four pillars and two copper statues at the centers of both sides of the bridge.
On the side that faces the Eiffel Tower, a golden ship statue (a part of the Paris’s coat of arms) is flanked by two Seine nymphs, symbolizing France. The composition on the other side (refer to the related photo) represents the Russian coat of arms, sided by nymphs of the Russian river Neva. The pillars (two on each side of the Alexandre III Bridge) stabilize the counterweight, and are topped by so-called Fames. Four fames symbolize industry, commerce, science and art – main hallmarks of France back then.
Pont Saint Louis
Pont Saint Louis – St. Louis Bridge – connects the Parisian islet of the same name and Ile de la Cite, which abounds with tourist attractions: Notre Dame Cathedral, Holy Chapel, Conciergerie and more. At the beginning of the central street of St. Louis Islet, you can purchase extraordinary fruit ice-cream and then head to the St. Louis Bridge to enjoy a musical performance or any other street performance that takes place there.
Pont au Change
Pont au Change – Exchange Bridge – derives its name from the wooden bridge that existed here in the 12th century. King Louis VII ordered that moneylenders and jewelers (changeurs) could conduct their trade only on the Parisian bridges, which led to the establishment of their “offices” on the Pont au Change. In the course of following centuries, the bridge was damaged and destroyed a number of times, until the present one was built during the reign of Napoleon III, between 1856 and 1860. The grand N carved between the arches is Napoleon III’s imperial insignia.
Pont au Change connects Ile de la Cite with the Right Bank, and in the background you can see the Conciergerie and the spire of the Holy Chapel.
Pont de la Tournelle
Pont de la Tournelle is named after the square turret (tournelle in French) that existed at this spot during the Middle Ages, which protected the entrance into Paris. It connects Ile Saint Louis with the Left Bank. Created asymmetrically on purpose, the bridge features a pillar topped by the statue of Sainte Genevieve, the patroness of Paris, whose prayers drove the Huns away in the 5th century. Fans of the Highlander series certainly remember scenes with the Pont de la Tournelle in the background.
Don’t stop here, there is more to see!
Another option is the Alma Bridge, commonly known as Pont de l’Alma, next to the tunnel where Princess Diana lost her life. With a namesake that commemorates the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War, the central pier of the bridge houses the statue of Zouave that measures the flood levels. If the water level reaches its thighs, don’t book a cruise on the Seine River.
You may also be interested in the Pont de Grenelle, a steel girder bridge recognized for its replica of the Statue of Liberty, gifted to France by the U.S.A in 1889. The Pont des Arts, also known as Passarelle des Arts, is a pedestrian bridge to enjoy a nice view on the Ile de la Cite and Pont Neuf during the afternoon, when the sun is behind you.
Bridges over the Seine aren’t far away from one another, and most of them offer quite an engaging display during the day. Don’t forget, however, to pay them a visit during the evening, when the city lights are best appreciated from the bridges of Paris.
History
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