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Pont Saint-Bénezet: Detail of the chapel seen from below the bridge

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posted on 2017-06-30, 00:00 authored by G. Massiot & cie
The bridge was finally put out of use by a catastrophic flood in 1668, which swept away much of the structure. It was subsequently abandoned and no more attempts were made to repair it. Since then, its surviving arches have successively collapsed or been demolished, and only four of the initial 22 arches remain intact today. The bridge’s construction was inspired by Saint Bénézet, a local shepherd boy who (according to tradition) was commanded by angels to build a bridge across the river. After his death, he was interred on the bridge itself, in a small chapel (also dedicated to St. Nicholas) standing on one of the bridge’s surviving piers on the Avignon side. Increasing dilapidation of the bridge led to the clergy refusing to preside over services for fear of a total collapse. A new chapel was erected on dry land in the 18th century at the foot of the bridge, on the Avignon side.

History

Alt Title

Pont d'Avignon

Date Created

1910-01-01

Date Modified

2017-06-30

Spatial Coverage

Avignon +43.953889+4.805 Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France: spanned the Rhône River between Avignon and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon on the left bank

Temporal Coverage

before or circa 1910

Cultural Context

Medieval

Rights Statement

To view the physical lantern slide, please contact the Architecture Library.

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