Pont d'Austerlitz

Bridge in Paris, France

48°50′42″N 2°21′58″E / 48.84500°N 2.36611°E / 48.84500; 2.36611CarriesMotor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclesCrossesThe Seine RiverLocaleParis, FranceOfficial namePont d'AusterlitzNext upstreamViaduc d'AusterlitzNext downstreamPont de SullyCharacteristicsDesignArch BridgeTotal length174m (571 feet)Width30m (98 feet)HistoryConstruction start1801–1805, 1854 and 1884–1885StatisticsTollFree both waysLocation Map

The Pont d'Austerlitz is a bridge which crosses the Seine River in Paris, France. It owes its name to the battle of Austerlitz (1805).

Location

The bridge links the 12th arrondissement at the rue Ledru-Rollin, to the 5th and 13th arrondissements, at the Jardin des Plantes.

History

The construction of the bridge came from a necessity to link the Faubourg Saint-Antoine on the right bank to the Jardin des Plantes on the left bank. At the beginning of the 19th century the first bridge was constructed. In 1801, the engineer Becquey de Beaupré proposed a five-arched bridge. In 1854, the bridge was judged dangerous and the width was increased to 18 meters (59 feet) and finally to 30 meters (98 feet).

Characteristics

Type : Arch bridge
Construction : 1801–1805, 1854 and 1884–1885
Inauguration : 1854 and 1885
Architects : Alexandre Michal, Jules Savarin (1854) – Jean-Marie-Georges Choquet (1885)
Material : Stone Masonry
Total Length : 173,80 m