The "New Bridge" is the oldest standing bridge in Paris, which is exactly the kind of contradiction the French enjoy. Henry III laid the first stone in 1578, Henry IV inaugurated it in 1607, and it's been standing ever since — surviving floods, revolutions, two world wars, and the weight of four centuries of Parisian traffic.
It was revolutionary for its time. Unlike every other bridge in Paris, it was built without houses on it — the first bridge designed as a promenade, with wide sidewalks and semicircular balconies jutting out over the water where people could stop and enjoy the view. It was also the first stone bridge in Paris to cross the entire Seine in one go, connecting the Right Bank, the Île de la Cité, and the Left Bank.
The 381 mascarons — grotesque stone faces — carved along the cornices are one of its most delightful features. Each one is different: laughing, screaming, grimacing, leering. They've weathered badly over the centuries and have been restored multiple times, but they still give the bridge a wonderfully weird personality. According to legend, they depict the faces of people who lived near the bridge during its construction.
The equestrian statue of Henry IV in the center is the oldest royal statue in Paris, though the current version is a 19th-century replacement. The original was melted down during the Revolution. When the replacement was cast in 1818, Bonapartists working in the foundry secretly hid a small statuette of Napoleon inside the horse's belly. It was discovered during a restoration in 2004.
Verified Facts
The bridge features 381 mascarons (grotesque carved stone faces), each unique
Pont Neuf is the oldest standing bridge in Paris, with construction beginning in 1578 and completion in 1607
It was the first bridge in Paris built without houses on it, designed as a public promenade
A small statuette of Napoleon was discovered hidden inside the replacement Henry IV statue's horse during a 2004 restoration
Get walking directions
Pont Neuf, 1st Arr., Paris, 75001, France
