The oldest bridge in Paris, Pont Neuf, was opened in 1607 and designed by King Henry III but built by King Henry IV. It became a major landmark and was financed by a wine tax. The footpaths were new and led to the term “piéton”. It was a prime location for street vendors and open-air theater performances.
The oldest bridge in Paris was opened in 1607. It is the Pont Neuf which ironically means “new bridge”. The Pont Neuf was initially designed by King Henry III but was eventually built by King Henry IV. The other bridges existing at the time were either damaged or too narrow for Paris’s growing traffic. Upon completion, Pont Neuf became a major Paris landmark, not unlike the Eiffel Tower’s significance today. King Henry IV was assassinated three years after the Pont Neuf was opened. His wife commissioned the statue of him to be placed on the pedestal of the bridge in 1618, but the statue was destroyed during the French Revolution. The statue of King Henry IV on the Pont Neuf today is an exact duplicate of the original and was made in 1818.
More information about Pont Neuf:
The construction of Pont Neuf was financed by the tax levied on wine, so essentially wine-consuming Parisians paid for the bridge.
The footpaths of Pont Neuf were entirely new to Paris at the time and eventually led to the use of the term “piéton” which means pedestrian.
Shortly after opening, Pont Neuf became a prime location for street vendors and even open-air theater performances.
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