Le Pont Neuf
The Pont Neuf, Paris, France. Image credit: Kathy Hymson
The varied geography of the country of France includes numerous rivers that flow into its natural maritime borders of the English Channel to the northwest, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Seine River that roughly bisects the French capital, Paris, winds nearly 500 miles from Burgundy northwest towards the English Channel. Artifacts recovered from various excavations along the Seine show the presence of travelers and settlers from Neanderthal times to the present day as Celtic communities of Gaul, Roman soldiers, Viking and Germanic warriors, and French kings and emperors made their marks along the river.
A group of Celts called the Parisii settled on the banks of the Seine in the 3rd century BCE and were supplanted by Roman soldiers in 52 BCE. The Romans fortified the town and named it Lutetia Parisiorum (“Lutèce of the Parisii”), which lasted until the 4th century AD when its name changed to Parisius. As the city’s governance continued to change hands over the years, its growth was literally and figuratively supported by the construction of bridges over the Seine that facilitated the transport of people and goods between the Right and Left Banks as well as to, from, and across the islands now called Île de la Cité and the Île Saint-Louis.
View of Pont Neuf bastion, Paris, France. Image credit: Kathy Hymson
The Pont Neuf has connected the banks of the Seine via the western end of the Île de la Cité since the late 16th century. King Henry III approved its construction to provide a sturdier alternative to the Pont Notre Dame and Pont au Change bridges and laid the first stone in May 1578. As the bridge work advanced, so did the unrest that accompanied the Wars of Religion, resulting in the king’s assassination and pausing the project from 1588 to 1599. The Pont Neuf was completed during the reign of Henry IV, who levied a tax on all wine brought into Paris to fund its construction. His widow, Marie de’ Medici, championed the creation of the statue of her husband on horseback that graces the Pont Neuf at the the Île de la Cité.
The sides of the Pont Neuf display 381 different mascarons (stone masks) that represent satyrs, sylvans, and divine creatures from ancient mythology. These were believed to provide protection from evil spirits during ancient times and lent some decorative character to the bridge.
The Pont Neuf was originally designed to be the widest bridge in the city to support houses along with those who passed over the river as was customary throughout Europe. When Henry IV came into power, he decided against lining the bridge with houses to allow for unimpeded views of the city. Historical documents indicate that the king realized that new modes of transport such as private carriages would be larger, heavier, and more plentiful than carts of the past, requiring more room to circulate. The Pont Neuf was the first bridge in Paris to be made of stone and dwarfed all others at nearly 1,000 feet in length and over 70 feet in width.
The bridge was completed in 1606 and immediately became a popular thoroughfare and destination. Its walkways and alcoves allowed pedestrians to easily move to the sides to allow wagons, carriages, and horses to pass. All who ventured to the Pont Neuf enjoyed previously inaccessible city views due to the lack of permanent structures on the bridge. Enterprising merchants and street performers flocked there, setting up temporary stands and offering entertainment that drew customers as well as pickpockets and other petty criminals to the bridge. Parisians of all social classes mingled on the Pont Neuf to shop, find entertainment, gossip, and be seen. After decades of conflict, many were ready to socialize and enjoy life, and the Pont Neuf provided a novel setting to do so.
Pont Neuf mascarons, Paris, France. Image credit: Kathy Hymson
Well over four centuries old, the Pont Neuf is now the oldest bridge in Paris. It has been repaired and restored from time to time, most comprehensively in honor of its 400th anniversary in 2007, and replicas of several elements have replaced the originals in the interest of preservation. Original mascarons can be seen at the Musée Carnavalet and Musée de Cluny in Paris. The Pont Neuf was named a national historic monument in 1889 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 along with other notable locations on the banks of the Seine. Visitors from near and afar continue to visit and use this bridge as has been done for hundreds of years, attesting to its durability and iconic place in French history and culture.
Jeu de français
The Pont Neuf received its name in recognition of its novel features for the time and quickly became the focal point of Paris. Its presence greatly contributed to the development of the Right Bank and the growth of the city. Try finding city locations that sprung up as Paris grew in the French-language word search below.
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