Pont Neuf Is…The Oldest Bridge
The oldest remaining bridge over the Seine in Paris, France, is called the Pont Neuf (New Bright). It is located near the western (downstream) tip of the Île de la Cité, the island in the middle of the river that served as Lutetia, the name by which Paris was known between 250 and 225 BC, and as the city's center during the Middle Ages.
The bridge is made up of two independent spans: one with seven arches connecting the island to the right bank, and one with five arches connecting the left bank to the Île de la Cité. Old etched maps of Paris reveal that the freshly constructed bridge only just touched the downstream edge of the Île de la Cité; since then, the island has grown as a result of a natural sandbar formation in the middle of the river, assisted by stone-faced embankments known as quais. The Square du Vert-Galant, a tiny public park established in honor of Henry IV, often known as the "Green Gallant," is located now at the island's point.
The Pont Neuf appellation, which has persisted even after all of those dwellings were replaced, was given to set it apart from older bridges that had houses lining both sides of them. Despite its name, it has long been Paris's oldest Seine-crossing bridge. The French Ministry of Culture has recognized it as a monument historize since 1889.
