Pont Alexandre III, located in the 8th Arrondissement, is an ornate bridge, spanning the Seine, that connects the Grand Palais and Petit Palais (in the grounds on the Champs-Elysées) to Les Invalides.

History

This bridge was built between 1896 and 1900 for the Universal Exhibition, along with the nearby Grand Palais which shares a similar styling.

The overall project in the area was to continue the axis of the Place des Invalides over the Seine, between two new Palais that were to be built on the site of the old Palais de l’Industrie (which was demolished to make way for these new buildings) and on to the Champs-Elysées. The constraints on the design of the bridge were that it was not to obstruct the view of Les Invalides as seen from the Champs-Elysées, whilst at the same time not disrupting traffic flow on the Seine. The resulting construction of a single span steel bridge is a marvel of 19th century engineering.

The bridge is named after Tsar Alexander III, who had concluded the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1891. The Trinity Bridge in Saint Petersburg is also a memorial to this alliance, with the first stone laid in 1897.

It was classified as a Historic Monument in 1975.

The visit

The Beaux-Arts style bridge, with its exuberant Art Nouveau lamps, cherubs, nymphs and winged horses at either end is the most ornate and extravagant bridge in the city. A walk across the bridge offers beautiful views of Paris.

Four gilt-bronze ‘Fames’ statues watch over the bridge, supported on massive masonry socles that help stabilise the arch. These fames represent Science, Art, Commerce and Industry. Their bases represent Contemporary France, the France of Charlemagne, France of the Renaissance, and the France of Louis XIV. The hammered copper Nymph reliefs in the centre of the arches are memorials to the Franco-Russian Alliance and carry the arms of France and Imperial Russia.

You will see other statues as you cross the bridge, including the much photographed lions. All of the statues and sculptures are by different artists, and each worth admiring as you pass along this ‘exhibition bridge’.

Make this bridge part of your day out in Paris, not just a means of getting from one place to another.

Things to know

If you are the clubbing type, it is worth knowing that there is a nightclub under the bridge that makes use of an old boat-house on the right bank.

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