Considered
by many across the world as the most beautiful
bridge in Paris, The Pont Alexandre III
Bridge is adorned with sophisticated sculptures.
Taking two years to build, its the first
stone was placed by Tsar Nicholas II,
and has the second title of “The
Russian Bridge. The bridge’s date
of opening was to coincide with the 1900
Universal Exhibition, so it is still known
by some as the “Exhibition Bridge”.
The bridge is a single leaf arch that
spans the Seine in a great curve, although
it is lowered so as not to obstruct the
view of the nearby Champs-Elysées
or les Invalides. The bridge is aligned
with the Esplanade des Invalides, and
connects the Grand and Petit Palais on
the right bank with the Hôtel des
Invalides on the left bank. The central
part of the bridge is a 107 m long metal
arch with three joints, supported by four
girders in cast steel and two masonry
viaducts on the banks.
The
decorations that cover the bridge include
four 17 metre high corner pillars, bearing
the four gilded bronze equestrian groups
which represent Pegasus held by Fame.
On the right bank are four sculptures
entitled “Fame of the Sciences”,
“Fame of the Arts”, “Contemporary
France”, and “Charlemagne's
France”. On the left bank are four
more sculptures entitled “Fame of
Business”, “Fame of Industry”,
“Rebirth of France”, and “Louis
XIV's France”. The structure is
framed by the royal symbol of the lion,
and these feline sculptures are just as
magnificent as the rest.
The “Pont Alexandre III’s”
two keystones are decorated with two compositions
in beaten copper and feature water creatures
called Nymphes; they are called “The
Seine Nymphs” and “Nymphs
of the Neva”. On the bridge parapet,
at the foot of the pillars, are four superb
groups of water spirits with fish and
seashells sculpted in beaten copper. With
such a magnificent and complicated bridge
at their capital city’s heart is
easy to see the great pride the French
take in their history and their culture.
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