The oldest brigde in Toulouse : " The Pont Neuf ".
- Franck BRUGUIERE
- Nov 8, 2023
- 3 min read
Hello my friends, this is Franck from Toulouse Blog.
Today I will tell you about the oldest bridge in Toulouse that can be described as pharaonic : the " Pont Neuf " .
This construction :
It was François 1er in 1541, who authorized the " Capitouls ", the local administrators at the time, to initiate the construction of this bridge.
He ordered that it be made of stone and local bricks.
A brick factory was specially built for its construction.
The Pont Neuf truly is a colossal structure, measuring 230 meters long.
Its construction due to financial reasons, took place from 1544 to 1632 , and it has remained intact for over four centuries.
It is one of the few medieval bridges still present in France.
Louis XIV personality inaugurated the " Pont Neuf " in Toulouse.
In the 16th century, a defensive tower with a tiled rool was created on the " Pont Neuf " , along with the addition of six shops for commercial activities.
The " Pont Neuf " and the floods of the Garonne :
It resisted all the floods, including the one in 1875, which destroyed all the brigdes in the city except for the " Pont Neuf " .
Indeed the " Pont Neuf " survived thanks to the presence of special drainage channels, called " degueloirs " , which were designed to allow the passage of the floodwaters during the violent flooding of the Garonne.
On the last photo, you can see a red resin sculpture by " James Colomina ", the toulouser artist, who creates his sculptures.
She is observing the Garonne river.
You can find the post about, " James Colomina " in the Toulouse blog.
The old bridge : " le Pont Vieux " :
The " Pont Vieux " is the predecessor of the " Pont Neuf " in Toulouse.
It was ordered to be built by count Alphonse-Jourdain in 1130.
On the side of the " Hotel-Dieu ", one can notice an arch from the 15th century whose origins date back to the roman era. Indeed, it is a remnant of the " Vieux Pont " .
Below, two pillar and two opening were used for boats to deliver supplies to the hospital.
In the 12th century, the " Vieux Pont " was indeed a place where punishments were carried out.
Al the convicts were locked in a cage and repeatedly plunged into the Garonne.
Wenn François 1er decided to construct the " Pont Neuf " , it was its death warrant.
It was demolished in 1639.
The " Pont Neuf " by night :
The "Pont Neuf " is illuminated by an ecological LED lighting system of a very white color.
This is allows highlighting the main architectural features on the structure.
At night, the " Pont Neuf " is : magical !!! .
BONUS PHOTOS :
BONUS VIDEO :
My friends , it is all for today.
I am proud to have published this post that traces the history of an architectural emblem and a must-visit place in our city.
I wish you a beautiful and peaceful day.
Welcome in Toulouse.
The Blog from Toulouse.
Greetings Franck.
Hi Franck great write up, I am an English man and have been visiting Toulouse with work for 35 years and have loved watching the city grow. I work for a large French aerospace company (Not Airbus) I was here earlier in the year the square looking over Pont Neuf is popular with students and people wanting to chill besides the river in the evenings. A fantastic place to chill out and if you look on the horizon you can see the Pyrenees mountain range