The Pont-Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris

You’ve probably heard the anecdote: despite its name, the Pont-Neuf is today the oldest bridge in Paris still preserved in its original state. But why is it called "Neuf"? To understand, you have to go back to the late 16th century, when its construction upended Parisians’ habits.

The first stone was laid in 1578 under Henry III. The construction, halted during the Wars of Religion, resumed under Henry IV and was completed in the early 17th century, the bridge generally considered finished in 1607. Its layout at the time was particularly ambitious: its two sections would connect both banks of the Seine, resting on the western tip of the Île de la Cité.

And for its era, this bridge truly lives up to its name! Unlike the old Parisian bridges crowded with houses, the Pont-Neuf is built without dwellings, which finally allows a clear view of the Seine. It also features sidewalks, a novelty that separates pedestrians from horses and carriages.

Over the half-moons laid out above its piers, small commerces, bouquinistes, street vendors and other marchands settle in over time. The Pont-Neuf thus becomes one of the most lively places in 17th-century Paris!

Its history is also linked to that of the Samaritaine. Near the bridge, an important pump was built between 1603 and 1608 to draw water from the Seine to supply, among others, the Louvre and the Tuileries Garden. Its façade was adorned with a depiction of the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan at the well of Jacob, earning it the nickname Samaritan's Pump.

Rebuilt in the 18th century and then destroyed in 1813, it would lend its name to the district and, later, to the famous department store located just a few steps from there.

It's also impossible to miss Henri IV right at the middle of the bridge. After the king’s death, Marie de Médicis had the project for an equestrian statue completed, commissioned from sculptor Jean de Bologne. Installed in 1614, it became one of the emblematic monuments of the Pont-Neuf before being toppled and melted down during the French Revolution, in 1792. The piece we see today is thus a different work: by François-Frédéric Lemot, it was inaugurated in 1818 during the Restoration.

Listed Monument historique in 1889 and since 1991 within the UNESCO-listed banks of the Seine, UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Pont-Neuf is instantly recognizable by its 12 arches, its elegant half-moons and its hundreds of grinning mascarons that adorn its cornices!

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