A favorite catch question on the history of Paris is "Which is the city's oldest bridge?" The answer is the "New Bridge" - the PontNeuf, which was built between 1578 and 1607 (restored in the 19th century).
It is one of the handsomest of the Seinebridges and also the longest (330m/360yds), spanning both arms of the river at the western tip of the Ile de la Cité.
The PontNeuf was equipped from the outset with the attributes of a modern bridge, a carriageway for traffic and pavements for pedestrians.
Paradoxically, the PontNeuf (French for 'New Bridge') is the oldest bridge in Paris.
The PontNeuf is also Paris's best known bridge and together with the Pont Alexandre III, one of its most beautiful.
The PontNeuf actually consists of two different bridge spans, one on each side of the Ile de la Cité, where the Vert-Galant square connects the two spans.
Le pont devint un endroit très à la mode et on y vit des marchands, des cracheurs de feu, des dompteurs d'ours, des arracheurs de dents, des chansonniers.
Le Pont-Neuf, premier pont sans maison, était un endroit très gai et l'on était "toujours sûr d'y rencontrer, à n'importe quelle heure, un moine, un cheval blanc et une putain".
En 1985, le pont eut l'honneur d'être "empaqueté" quinze jours par l'artiste américain Christo.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude Pont Neuf Wrapped(Site not responding. Last check: )
On September 22, 1985, a group of 300 professional workers completed the temporary work of art The PontNeuf Wrapped.
All expenses for The PontNeuf Wrapped were borne by the artists as in their other projects through the sale of preparatory drawings and collages as well as earlier works.
From 1578 to 1890, the PontNeuf underwent continual changes and additions of the most extravagant sort, such as the construction of shops on the bridge under Soufflot, the building, demolition, rebuilding and once again demolition of the massive rococco structure which housed the Samaritaine's water pump.
Bien sûr, il fut neuf en son temps, et il faut dire que sa construction s'est fait longtemps attendre.
Le PontNeuf est en réalité composé de 2 ponts indépendants qui reposent sur la pointe occidentale de l'Ile de la Cité (pointe du Vert Galant), avec 7 arches sur le grand bras de la Seine et 5 arches sur le petit bras.
Le PontNeuf a résisté avec brio aux différentes inondations que la Seine lui a fait subir.
espite its name, the PontNeuf (New Bridge) is the oldest standing bridge in Paris.
The first stone was laid by Henri III, and allowed (obviously!) traffic to cross from one bank to the other.
In 1608 Henri IV built a hydraulic water pump to supply the Louvre with water, which got the name Samaritaine, now the name of a famous nearby department store.
Henri IV, qui inaugurera l'ouvrage en 1607, le baptisera du nom PontNeuf qui traversera les siècles.
Premier pont de pierre sans maison, pourvu de trottoirs protégeant les piétons de la boue et des chevaux, il sera très fréquenté dès son ouverture.
Non symétrique, il est composé de deux ponts distincts, l'un de cinq arches (partie sud) l'autre de sept (partie Nord), reliés par un terre-plein central situé sur la pointe de l'Ile de la Cité.
www.insecula.com /salle/MS00789.html (662 words)
Metropole Paris(Site not responding. Last check: )
There is the big stature of Henri IV, which must be in every guide book on the planet.
The Pont-Neuf is one of those things you can see well from a distance - say from the Pont des Arts, downstream - but up close, you are simply 'on' it.
Bits of it will fit into photos, but they won't mean much - being 'on' it is what you get, and if you can remember it, that is what you get to keep - not a photo.
Die Brücke PontNeuf ist, anders als ihr Name andeuten könnte, die älteste Brücke Paris, und zusammen mit der Pont Alexandre III auch eine der schönsten.
Erst im Jahre 1607 konnte die "PontNeuf" von Henri IV eingeweiht werden, dem sie auch ihren Namen zu verdanken hat.
Die "PontNeuf" war Paris erste Brücke, auf der sich keine Häuser befanden.
The oldest bridge in Paris (the first to be built without house on).
Restored in the 90s, and appearing in many films - Les Amants de PontNeuf being the most obvious, but also such hollywood classics such as the Bourne Identity.
Arch Side Front Tower] Eglise du Dome Altar in Eglise du Dome Napolean's Tomb PontNeuf Rodin's Le Penseur
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Quartier chinois - Croulebarbe aux Gobelins - Bibliothèque Francois Mitterand - Orly - Le quartier de la Butte-aux-Cailles - Pont National - Pont de Tolbiac - Pont de Bercy - Pont Charles De Gaulle - Parc de Montsouris - Observatoire de Paris
Rue Vaugirard - Beaugrenelle - La Tour Montparnasse - Paris Expo/Portes de Versailles - Ecole Militaire - Pont Mirabeau - Pont du Gariglialo - Parc André Citroën - Cimetière de Grenelle - Cimetière du Montparnasse