Pont Saint-Bénézet, Medieval arch bridge in Avignon, France
The Pont Saint-Bénézet is a medieval stone crossing over the Rhône in Avignon, now reduced to four arch segments. The construction displays Romanesque workmanship with massive piers that once supported a total length of roughly 900 meters.
The crossing originated in 1177 following the initiative of a shepherd named Bénézet, who claimed divine instruction to build it. Repeated flooding in the 17th century destroyed large sections, until repairs were finally abandoned.
The bridge inspired the song "Sur le pont d'Avignon", known across France; the tune's refrain has children dancing in a circle. The old logo of the city of Avignon showed the bridge with the word "AVIGNON" in capitals, the arch stretched into a line, and the Chapel of Saint-Nicolas made it recognisable.
The visitable section is the four surviving arches on the Avignon bank, ending in a viewing platform over the Rhône; the span no longer reaches Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. The chapel of Saint-Nicolas stands on the second pier, reached by a stone stair. Allow about half an hour.
The Chapel of Saint Nicholas stands on the second pier, not the third, and was built in the second half of the 12th century before being substantially altered. The bridge's largest surviving arch spans 35.8 m between the third and fourth piers. The piers have pointed cutwaters upstream and downstream, with openings in the stonework to relieve pressure during floods.
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