Pont Henri-IV, Châtellerault, Stone arch bridge in Châtellerault, France
The Pont Henri-IV is a stone arch bridge over the Vienne River made up of nine spans. The structure connects both sides of town with thick piers and curved archways that cross the waterway.
Construction began in the mid-16th century under French royal patronage and took decades to complete. Once finished, the bridge became a town landmark and has remained central to the city's story.
The bridge is named after a French king and symbolizes Renaissance engineering mastery. It shapes the town's identity today and serves as a key landmark that locals connect with their heritage.
The bridge carries three traffic lanes with wide pavements on both sides, so walkers cross alongside vehicles. Its western end is flanked by two towers. The deck is level and about 132 m long, with nine arches of roughly 9.85 m span resting on piers 4.60 m thick.
The bridge's segmental arches widen at each end into curved flares the French call cornes de vache (cow horns), running from the keystone down to the triangular pier projections. This shape makes the piers look slimmer; it does not, as often claimed, improve water flow. The Pont Henri IV is said to have the clearest and most refined cornes de vache of any French bridge.
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