Pont de pierre (Bordeaux)

Coordinates: 44°50′18.47″N 0°33′46.98″W / 44.8384639°N 0.5630500°W / 44.8384639; -0.5630500

Pont de pierre
Tramway crossing the Pont de pierre

The Pont de pierre, or "Stone Bridge" in English, is a bridge in Bordeaux, (in the Gironde department of France), which connects the left bank of the Garonne River (cours Victor Hugo) to the right bank quartier de la Bastide (Avenue Thiers).

Overview

The first bridge over the Garonne River at Bordeaux, the Pont de pierre was planned and designed during the First French Empire, under the orders of Napoleon I, but its construction took place during the Bourbon Restoration, from 1819 to 1822.[1] During these three years, the builders were faced with many challenges because of the strong current at that point in the river. They used a diving bell borrowed from the British to stabilise the bridge's pillars. It has 17 arches (the number of letters in the name 'Napoléon Bonaparte'). On the sides, each pile of bricks is capped by a white medallion in honour of the emperor. It also carries the coat of arms of the city (three intertwined crescents). It was the only bridge until the construction of pont Saint-Jean in 1965.

The bridge and its tide is an important point in the Itinéraire à Grand Gabarit, the logistic schedule transporting parts for the Airbus A380 production.[2][3][4]

Postage stamp

On 26 April 2004, a tourist stamp was issued for €0.50 in Bordeaux,.[5] It shows the bridge and a train Pierre tramway de Bordeaux inaugurated on 21 December 2003. Contrary to what the stamp shows, the tram passes along the bridge, and not on a second bridge alongside. The design is the work of Claude Andréotto, engraved by Claude Jumelet for printing intaglio. The stamp was withdrawn from sale on 12 November 2004.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Structurae [fr]: Pont de pierre (1822)
  2. ↑ "Towards Toulouse". Flight International. 20 May 2003. Retrieved 18 September 2006.
  3. ↑ "Convoi Exceptionnel". Airliner World. Key Publishing Limited. May 2009.
  4. ↑ Morales, Jesus. "The A380 Transport Project and Logistics – Assessment of alternatives" p45 Airbus, 18 January 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  5. ↑ http://www.wnsstamps.ch/stamps/FR030.04/FR030.04-full.jpeg%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
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