The most famous bridges in Paris. Bridges of Paris (Paris, France) What is the name of the old bridge in Paris

There are thirty-seven bridges in Paris that overlook the Seine.

Bridges built in different time, were not always preferred by Parisians. Parisians commonly used a boat or ferry to get to the other side of the river or to one of the city's natural islands. 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 declared a 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. He was listed World Heritage UNESCO 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 Paris

Alexander III Bridge



Pont Alexandre III - one arch bridge, spanning the Seine in Paris between Les Invalides and the Champs Elysees. 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

Pont des Arts - the first iron bridge Paris across the Seine River, now pedestrian, connecting in a straight line the Institute of France (of which the famous French Academy is a 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

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 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 to meet the needs of 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 Ile de la Cité to the right, northern shore The Seine and the square in front of the capital's city hall, the former Greve.

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; three-arch bridge with openings of 15, 17 and 15 m. Low arches have always prevented the passage of high river transport, but despite the decision made in 1910, the bridge was never replaced.


Since 2010, the Archdiocese Bridge has been a symbolic place for loving people to attach 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 place opposite Rue Monutunion.

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, this is the second metal structure that characterizes engineering achievements of his 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 in 1966 historical monuments.

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 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. Was applied relatively new material: 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 straight line with 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, linked 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 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, new square Chatelet and further boulevards Sevastopol and Strasbourg.

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

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 structure 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 boulevard rings. And any tourist can happily spend more than one day studying and contemplating the bridges of paris.

Carousel Bridge

Pont du Carrousel is one of the most beautiful in the first arrondissement. It got its name because there was a square with the same name nearby. This name was given almost immediately after construction. Pont du Carrousel was named by King Louis Philippe himself.

Coordinates: 48.85928, 2.3329.

The closest metro station to the bridge is Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre, lines M1 and M7.

Bridges of Paris: Fourth Arrondissement

Bridge Changed

Pont au Change is one of the most famous bridges in Paris. Previously, shopkeepers and money changers settled here; the bridge was practically the financial artery of Paris. At the end of the eighteenth century, the benches were demolished and the bridge was improved. Now he looks amazing. The bridge connects “continental” Paris and the Ile de la Cité.

Coordinates of the Change Bridge in Paris: 48.856527, 2.346654.

Metro: Châtelet, lines 1, 4, 7, 11, 14 and Cité - line M4.

BridgeNotre- I'll give

Pont Notre-Dame is famous due to its proximity to the Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris. It connects the Cité and the coast of Paris. Here tourists will find artists, caricaturists, caricaturists, as well as souvenir shops and a lot of entertainment. There are rollerbladers skating across the bridge, be careful!

Coordinates of the Notre Dame Bridge in Paris: 48.856188, 2.348564.

Metro: Cité - line M4, Hôtel de Ville, lines M1 and M11.

Tournel Bridge

Pont de la Tournelle is very old, it was built back in 1651, and before there was a wooden bridge. The Tournelle Bridge is famous for being mentioned in Dumas' novel The Three Musketeers. Be sure to check it out.

Coordinates: 48.850682, 2.355494.

To get to the Tournelle Bridge: Pont Marie, line M7.

Marie Bridge

Pont-Marie is named after the entrepreneur Christophe Marie; construction of this bridge began in 1614, under Louis the Eighth.

Access by car: 48.8528,2.357297.

Metro: Pont Marie, line M7.

Bridges of Paris: Fifth Arrondissement

Petite Bridge of Paris

The shortest Petit Pont is only 32 meters long. It connected the banks of the Seine back in the time of Julius Caesar.

Bridge coordinates: 48.853343, 2.346965.

RER station B and C: Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame, metro – Cité, line M4.

BridgeSep- Michelle

Pont de Saint-Michel is one of the most popular among tourists, as it connects the famous Place Saint-Michel with the main attraction - the Ile de la Cité. It was built back in 1378, later rebuilt and received its modern appearance more than 150 years ago.

Coordinates of the Saint-Michel Bridge: 48.854028, 2.344573.

Metro near Pont Saint-Michel: Saint-Michel, line M4.

Bridges of Paris: sixth arrondissement

New Bridge, Pont Neuf

Pont Neuf is one of the oldest bridges in Paris, which is even a symbol of the city. And it is called “New Bridge”. Apparently due to the reconstruction, the lack of houses on it, and also almost always was almost the busiest street in Paris.

Pont Neuf in Paris is a very romantic place where lovers often meet. The bridge connects the sixth and first districts.

Coordinates: 48.857459, 2.34159.

Metro: Pont Neuf, line M7.

Pont des Arts

Pont des Arts - the route from the sixth to the first arrondissement.

This is the first iron bridge in Paris, it was built back in 1802, and is intended only for pedestrians. That is why here you can see a rather unusual picture: tourists having lunch right on the bridge, sitting right on the sidewalk.

Coordinates: 48.858518, 2.337588.

The bridge is located right next to the Louvre, metro station – Louvre – Rivoli, line M1.

BridgeBir- Hakeim

Pont de Bir -Hakeim is both pedestrian and vehicular and is over 100 years old. From this bridge you can see the Eiffel Tower. It’s especially good from the metro, you can cross this bridge on the sixth line.

And the nearest stations – Bir-Hakeim and Passy – are different sides Seine.

Coordinates: 48.855694, 2.287753.

Bridges of Paris: 7th arrondissement

BridgeDisabled

Pont des Invalides - Bridge of Invalides, this is one of the most unusual buildings in Paris. The central pillar is decorated with a figure that symbolizes Napoleon's victories, while the heads on the other pillars are war trophies.

Coordinates of the Invalids Bridge: 48.863713, 2.310348.

Metro near the Invalides Bridge: Invalides, lines M8 and M13. RER C is a station with the same name.

Bridge Royal

Pont Royal is the third oldest bridge, it is located between the Bank of Paris and the Flora Pavilion. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was one of the historical monuments. This bridge has been reconstructed more often than others.

Coordinates: 48.859972, 2.329745.

Metro: Musée d'Orsay, RER C.

BridgeConsents

Pont de la Concorde is a structure made from the stones of the once destroyed Bastille. It used to bear the name of the king, and then was renamed in honor of the square to which it leads.

The Pont de la Concorde in Paris connects the left and right banks of the Seine.

Coordinates for those arriving by car: 48.86319, 2.319424.

Nearest metro: Concorde, lines M1, M8, M12.

Alma Bridge

Pont de l "Alma is a bridge 150 meters long, located in the seventh arrondissement of Paris. It was built back in 1856 in honor of the victory of the French troops. Princess Diana died in the tunnel under this bridge.

Coordinates: 48.863374, 2.301829.

Metro: Alma – Marceau, line 9.

Paris Bridge: 8th arrondissement

Alexander BridgeIII

Pont Alexandre III is perhaps the most popular among Russian tourists. The Paris Bridge in honor of Alexander III is made in the Beaux Arts style, it is decorated with figures of pegasi, angels and nymphs. Pont Alexandre III is one of the most beautiful in Paris. Coordinates: 48.863656, 2.313545.

You can get to Pont Alexandre III by metro: Invalides station, lines M8, M13, line RER C.

Bridges of Paris: Twelfth Arrondissement

Austerlitz Bridge

Pont d'Austerlitz connects the fifth and twelfth arrondissements of Paris and is a fairly visited attraction. It was opened more than 200 years ago, but was built of metal. French military leaders were killed at the Battle of Austerlitz, and their names are now engraved on the ornaments of the bridge.

Coordinates: 48.844963, 2.365944.

You can get to the Austerlitz Bridge in Paris by metro: Gare d'Austerlitz station, lines M5 and M10, RER C.

BridgeCharles- de- Gollya

Pont Charles de Gaulle connects the twelfth and thirteenth arrondissements of Paris. It looks like an airplane wing, length - 238 meters, width - 35. The bridge connects two train stations in Paris: Lyon and Austerlitz.

Coordinates of the Charles de Gaulle Bridge: 48.842506, 2.369013.

You can get there by metro: Gare d'Austerlitz station, lines M5, M10, RER C, Paris Gare de Lyon station, lines M1 and M14, RER A and D.

Paris Bridge: fifteenth arrondissement

Mirabeau Bridge

Pont Mirabeau connects the fifteenth and sixteenth arrondissements of Paris. He is famous for Apollinaire's poem. This is a very beautiful bridge, it looks especially interesting from the shore.

Bridge coordinates in Paris: 48.846587, 2.275693.

Metro station: Mirabeau, line M10.

Enjoy your walks along the bridges of Paris! It is very beautiful, interesting, amazing and impressive.

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This ancient engineering invention of mankind was designed to solve a standard problem: to help a person cross from one shore to another. Today, bridges play not only a technical, but also an aesthetic role. Architects and designers strive to make each structure unique and remarkable.

The bridges of Paris... Sung by poets and artists of all times and peoples, they add additional charm to the city, shaping its unique appearance. In addition to the 37 bridges over the Seine, Paris has another 58 over canals and 148 over the Parisian ring road. 49 of all bridges are pedestrian.

In the mid-16th century there were only four bridges in Paris. Two of them - the Petit Bridge and the Notre Dame Bridge - have existed since ancient times, mentions of their reconstruction date back to 52 BC.


1. Small Bridge

The shortest of all Parisian bridges over the Seine. Its length is only 32m, width – 20m. The modern appearance of this structure was created in 1853 and is a simple stone arch.

View of the Petit Bridge and Notre-Dame Cathedral from under the Saint-Michel Bridge.

2. Notre Dame Bridge

This bridge got its name after the construction of the cathedral of the same name. Previously it was called “Big” - its length is 106m and its width is 20m.


“Demolition of houses on the North Dame Bridge in 1786”, painting by Robbert, Louvre

In 1853, a new five-arch bridge was built on the old foundation. After this, due to large quantity Collisions of barges with the bridge, the Notre Dame Bridge was popularly called the “Devil's Bridge”. During the last reconstruction of the bridge in 1910-1914, the three central arches were replaced with a metal single-arch structure.

3. New bridge

The bridge, 280m long and 20.5m wide, was built in 1578 -1607 and has been preserved in its original form. Therefore, as paradoxical as it may sound, the New Bridge is the oldest bridge in today's Paris.

The new bridge was significantly different from the previous four brothers. Firstly, it was the first bridge across the Seine across its entire width; secondly, for the first time in Paris, the bridge was not built up with houses and shops (there were shops only above the supports); thirdly, it was equipped with walking sidewalks; and, finally, for the first time, the bridge carried an aesthetic load: it was decorated along the bottom of the cornice with 385 grotesque masks, none of which duplicated the other.


“Shop on the New Bridge”, engraving by Martial, 1848

Ancient support of the New Bridge:

The bottom of the bridge cornice, decorated with masks.

4. Simon de Beauvoir Bridge

The pedestrian bridge Simon de Beauvoir, 304 m long and 12 m wide, is currently the newest bridge in Paris over the Seine. It was put into operation in 2006. The central part of the structure, a 65-meter “lens”, was manufactured in Alsace by the Eiffel engineering company.

5. Pont des Arts

Built by Napoleon in 1801-1804, this bridge connects the building of the French Academy and the Louvre. It got its name from the Louvre, which at that time was called the Palace of Arts. Initially, the bridge consisted of 9 arches, but after reconstruction in 1981-1984, the number of arches was reduced from 9 to 7. Now it is a pedestrian bridge, the total length of which is 155 m, width – 11 m.


A typical picnic on the Pont des Arts:

View from the Pont des Arts on the long span of the New Bridge


Numerous couples in love solemnly leave their “Pledges of Eternal Love” on the grating of this bridge.

Three bridges - the Bir Hakeim Bridge, the Ruel Bridge, and the Grenelle Bridge - cross the Seine, resting on the Swan Island - an artificially created dam.

At the western tip of Swan Island, in front of the Pont Ruel, the Statue of Liberty greets those entering Paris from this side.


View from the Eiffel Tower. In the foreground is the Bir Hakeim Bridge, in the center is the Ruel Bridge, and in the distance is the Grenelle Bridge.

6. Bridge Ruel

The Ruel Railway Bridge was built specifically for the 1900 World Exhibition. Its last reconstruction was carried out in 1988.

This bridge, 173m long and 20m wide, consists of several absolutely different parts: on the right bank - a stone three-arched part above the Seine embankment, then - a metal single-arched structure; the part of the bridge crossing Swan Island is made in the form of a stone arch; the left part lies in a smooth curve on two supports.


Metal arch on the right side of the Ruel Bridge between Swan Island and the 16th arrondissement:


Stone arch of the bridge on Swan Island:


The RER train is on the left side of the Ruel bridge.

7. Bir Hakeim Bridge

This two-level bridge was built in 1905 on the site of the old Passy pedestrian bridge. It is multifunctional: the lower level is intended for cars, cyclists and pedestrians, and the upper level is used by the Paris metro. The total length of the structure is 380m, width - 24.7m.


One of the statues of Gustave Michel decorating the bridge supports: “Blacksmiths and Riveters”


At the eastern end of Swan Island, in front of the Bir Hakeim Bridge, there is an equestrian statue “Reviving France” - the creation of the Danish sculptor Wederkih.

8. Mirabeau Bridge

This bridge, built in 1895-1897, is widely known thanks to the poem of the same name by Guillaume Apollinaire.

The Mirabeau Bridge is the only bridge in Paris decorated with sculptures in honor of the city. These four sculptures by Jean-Antoine Injalbert - "City of Paris", "Commerce", "Navigation" and "Abundance" - are installed on two pillars of the bridge, designed in the form of stylized ships. The length of the bridge is 173m, width – 20m


Statue "City of Paris"


Statue "Abundance"


Navigation Statue


Commerce Statue

9. Leopold Sédar Senghor Bridge

This single-arch pedestrian bridge, 106m long and 15m wide, was called the "Solferino Bridge" until 2006.

The first bridge on this site was opened by Napoleon III in 1961 and was intended for the passage of carriages. A new, pedestrian bridge was built in 1997-1999. The structure consists of six 150-ton parts, built by the Eiffel Engineering Company. Wood from exotic Brazilian Tabebuia trees was used to cover the bridge.

Functionally, this structure combines two bridges: the lower arch makes it possible to go down to the walking sidewalks near the water, and the upper arch connects the Orsay Museum and the Tuileries Garden. The original design in the center of the bridge allows pedestrians to “change levels” - move from one “arc” to another.


Transition between the “arcs” of the bridge:

10. Alexander III Bridge

And in conclusion - about the most elegant and luxurious bridge in Paris. This bridge, opened on the eve of the 1900 Universal Exhibition, was founded by Alexander III's son, Nicholas II, to commemorate the Franco-Russian Union. The single-arch bridge between Les Invalides and the Champs Elysees was built level with the motorway so as not to obscure the panorama of the Champs Elysees. The height of the structure, 160m long and 40m wide, is only 6m, which was the highest technical achievement of that time.


Modern view of the bridge from the Eiffel Tower:

Columns, sculptures, bas-reliefs, lanterns - all this is intended not only to decorate the structure, but also to illustrate the history of France.

On both sides of the entrance to the bridge there are four 17-meter pylons, above which bronze figures float: “For the Glory of Art”, “For the Glory of Science”, “For the Glory of Battle” and “For the Glory of War”. At the foot of each pylon there are sculptures depicting France from different eras.

One of the pylons. Above - “In Praise of War”, by Leopold Steiner, below - “France in the Age of Louis XIV” by Laurent Marquest.


Nymph of the Neva:


Nymph of the Seine: