Pont Neuf, Toulouse

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name = Pont Neuf, Toulouse


caption = Pont Neuf, Toulouse
official_name = Pont de Pierrecite book
last=Whitney
first=Charles S.
authorlink=
coauthors=
editor=
others=
title=Bridges of the World: Their Design and Construction
origdate=
origyear=1929
origmonth=
url=
format=
accessdate=
accessyear=
accessmonth=
edition=
series=
volume=
date=
year=2003
month=
publisher=Dover Publications
location=Mineola, New York
language=English
isbn=0-486-42995-4
oclc=
doi=
id=
pages=pp.132-134
chapter=
chapterurl=
quote=
ref=]
carries =
crosses = Garonne River
locale = Toulouse
maint =
id =
designer = Jacques Le Mercier (Lemercier)
Pierre Soufron
design = arch bridge
material = stone
spans = 7
pierswater =
mainspan = approximately convert|30|m
length =
width =
height =
load =
clearance =
below =
traffic =
begin = 1544structurae|id=s0004650|name=Pont-Neuf]
complete = 1632
open =
closed =
toll =
map_cue =
map_

map_text =
map_width =
coordinates = coord|43.599307|N|1.438724|E|region:FR_type:landmark|display=inline,title
lat =
long =

The Pont Neuf, French for "New Bridge" (a.k.a. Pont de Pierre and Grand Pont), is a 16th century bridge in Toulouse, in the South of France.

Construction

Original planning for the bridge started in 1542 by the assembly of a committee of master masons and carpenters. Construction started on the foundations in 1544; the first arch was started in 1614. The bridge was finished in 1632, and was inaugurated on 19 October, 1659.

The bridge is not symmetrical; the longest arch is the third from the right-hand bank. The openings through the piers were originally supposed to represent the face and mane of a lion. A triumphal archway added in 1686 constricted traffic and was removed in 1860.

It is 220m longFact|date=July 2008, and has 7 arches.

References