Le Pont D' avignon, france
The Pont d'Avignon is the most famous bridge located in the wonderful city of Avignon, France.
The Pont d'Avignon is considered ancient by our standards. It was built somewhere between the years of 1171 and 1185. When it was first constructed the bridge was almost 3,000 feet long.
The bridge originally crossed the Rhone River and connected the city of Avignon with Villenueve-les-Avignon. Villenueve-les-Avignon is a quaint city opposite of Avignon which was originally founded by Philippe le Bel.
Over the years the Pont d'Avignon has endured the damage of harsh weather and floods. It has collapsed a few times during especially rough floods, and has had to be rebuilt several times. Bridge repairmen over the centuries have repaired the arches with unstable wood supports, and because of it the Pont d'Avignon became increasingly dangerous over the years.
In 1668 an enormous flood destroyed much of the Pont d'Avignon, and much of the bridge was swept away into the waters. The flood did such damage that noone tried to repair it and it was soon abandoned. The arches have collapsed over the years, one by one. Only 4 of the original 22 arches actually remain standing today.
The bridge's initial construction was pushed by Saint Bénézet, a local shepherd boy who said he was told by angels to build the bridge. Although skeptical at first, villagers were soon supportive when they witnessed the boy miraculously life a huge block of stone and put it in place for the foundation. Other miracles were have said to be witnessed as well. After all of these events, Saint Bénézet soon won financial backing from many wealthy sponsors who saw the bridge to completion.
Because of its rich history, the Pont d'Avignon attracts many different visitors from all across the world who want to experience the bridge first-hand.
