Pont d'Austerlitz explained

Pont d'Austerlitz
Official Name:Pont d'Austerlitz
Carries:Motor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles
Locale:Paris, France
Length:174m (571 feet)
Width:30m (98 feet)
Begin:1801–1805, 1854 and 1884–1885
Toll:Free both ways
Coordinates:48.845°N 2.3661°W
Upstream:Viaduc d'Austerlitz

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

See also