Pont Neuf

The Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge in Paris. It connects the Ile de la Cite to the Quai du Louvre. Over a century ago, since the last restoration, the mascarons have been damaged by air pollution, rain and wind. The current restoration replaced more than half of the mascarons with copies that have been sculpted in place.

The total length of the bridge is 278 meters, its width 28 meters . It is actually composed of two separate spans, one of five arches joining the left bank to the ile de la Cite, another seven joining the island to the right bank. Old engraved maps of Paris show how, when the bridge was built, it grazed the downstream tip of the ile de la Cite.

The decision to build the bridge was made by Kinkg Henri III, who put down the first stone in 1578. After a long delay, due to the Wars of Religion, it was completed under the reign of Henri IV, who inaugurated it in 1607. Pont Neuf is constructed as a series of many short arch bridges, as most bridges of that time were built, following Roman precedents. Unlike the old bridges, it was the first stone bridge in Paris not to support houses in addition to a thoroughfare, and was also fitted with pavements protecting pedestrians from mud and horses; pedestrians could also step aside into its bastions to let a bulky carriage pass. The bridge had heavy traffic from the beginning; it was for a long time the widest bridge in Paris. The structure has never been altered, although the bridge has undergone repair and renovation work. The original wooden pilings supporting the foundations still remain. A major restoration of the Pont Neuf was begun in 1994 and will be completed in 2007, the year of its 400th anniversary.

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