The Pont Alexandre III
World Exhibitions effectively contribute to the construction of cities and to their international aura. What do the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais and the Pont Alexandre iii have in common? They were all inaugurated in the context of a World Exhibition and still greatly contribute to Paris’ prestige by continuously attracting millions of local and foreign visitors everyday.
The pont Alexandre iii, situated between the Invalides and the GrandParis and named after the Russian Tsar Alexandre iii was completed in 1900 and was to represent the Franco-Russian alliance in a complicated diplomatic context with the German Empire.
Enjoy a casual day on the Pont Alexandre iii:
The arched bridge is not only one of the most beautiful in Paris to this day, it also represents one that required great innovative technical abilities to build at the time. The architects and engineers comissioned at the time had been instructed to find a way to design a continous river-crossing that was to follow the Champs Elysées’ axis right up to the Invalides Esplanade without obstructing its view.
Seventeen artists collaborated on the decorative programme of this splendid bridge. In the center of the arch, the nymph of Seine and Neva river continues to symbolise the friendship between the two countries, which maintained their alliance 14 years after the first World War.
Due to covid-19, the next World Exhibition: the Dubai Expo 2020 has been postponed to 2021 and will be held from October 1st 2021 - March 31st 2022.
