The Pont d'Avignon (Pont Saint-Benezet) in the city of Avignon in the department of Vaucluse in France
The Pont d'Avignon (Pont Saint-Benezet) in the city of Avignon in the department of Vaucluse on the left bank of the Rhone River. The first bridge spanning the Rhone between Villeneuve-les-Avignon and Avignon was built between 1177 and 1185. This early bridge was destroyed forty years later during the Albigensian Crusade when Louis VIII of France laid siege to Avignon. The bridge was rebuilt, but was very costly to maintain, as the arches tended to collapse when the Rhone flooded. In the middle of the 17th century the bridge was abandoned. The four present day arches are believed to have been built in around 1345. The historic centre, which includes the Palais des Papes, the cathedral, and the Pont d'Avignon, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
Size: 5120px × 3413px
Location: Avignon in France
Photo credit: © Steve Allen Travel Photography / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: arches, architecture, avignon, bridge, castle, destination, europe, france, heritage, historic, landmark, palace, papal, pont, rhone, river, saint-benezet, site, tourism, tourist, travel, unesco, vaucluse, world
