The Pont de l'Alma (English: Alma Bridge) is a road bridge in Paris, France, across the Seine. It was named to commemorate the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War, in which the Ottoman-Franco-British alliance achieved victory over the Russian army, on 20 September 1854. The bridge is also known for being the site of a car crash that caused the death of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed.
The general public took the original bridge as a measuring instrument for water levels in times of flooding on the Seine: access to the footpaths by the river embankments usually was closed when the Seine's level reached the feet of The Zouave; when the water hit his thighs, the river was unnavigable. During the great flood of the Seine in 1910, the level reached his shoulders.[1] The French Civil Service used the Pont de la Tournelle, not the Pont de l'Alma, to gauge flood levels, and since 1868 uses the Pont d'Austerlitz.
Reconstruction
The bridge underwent complete reconstruction as a girder bridge between 1970 and 1974, as it had been too narrow to accommodate the increasing traffic both on and below it; moreover, the structure had subsided some 80 centimeters. Only the statue of the Zouave was retained: the Skirmisher was relocated to the Gravelle Stronghold in Vincennes, the Grenadier to Dijon, and the Artilleryman to La Fère.
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales
Entrance to the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in April 1998, the site where Diana's car clipped a white Fiat, collided with a road pillar and then hit the wall
The bridge is close to the Pont de l'Alma tunnel where Diana, Princess of Wales, and three others were involved in a fatal car crash on 31 August 1997. They were being chased by paparazzi, and their chauffeur was driving under the influence of alcohol.[2][3] The Flame of Liberty (completed in 1987), at the bridge's north end has become an unofficial memorial to Diana. The square is now officially named Place Diana.[4] The tunnel is known as an accident black spot from 1982 to 1997 as there were 11 deaths in the area.[5]
Technical specifications
Pont de l'Alma has a length of 153 meters (502 ft) and a width of 42 meters (138 ft).
^"Paris readies for floods as Seine surges higher" (video). BBC News. 27 January 2018.
^Whitney, Craig R. (31 August 1997). "Diana Killed in a Car Accident in Paris". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
^John King; John Beveridge (2001). Princess Diana: The Hidden Evidence. SP Books. p. 282. ISBN978-1-56171-922-8. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
^Chazan, David (30 May 2019). "Paris pays homage to Princess Diana by naming a square after her, 22 years after fatal car crash". The Telegraph. London.
^"The day the world wept". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pont de l'Alma.
(in French) Pictures of the old and the new bridge
(in French) Bridge history
May 02, 2023
pont, alma, english, alma, bridge, road, bridge, paris, france, across, seine, named, commemorate, battle, alma, during, crimean, which, ottoman, franco, british, alliance, achieved, victory, over, russian, army, september, 1854, bridge, also, known, being, si. The Pont de l Alma English Alma Bridge is a road bridge in Paris France across the Seine It was named to commemorate the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War in which the Ottoman Franco British alliance achieved victory over the Russian army on 20 September 1854 The bridge is also known for being the site of a car crash that caused the death of Diana Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed Pont de l AlmaPont de l Alma illuminated at nightCoordinates48 51 49 N 2 18 06 E 48 8635 N 2 3018 E 48 8635 2 3018 Coordinates 48 51 49 N 2 18 06 E 48 8635 N 2 3018 E 48 8635 2 3018CrossesSeineLocaleParis FranceOfficial namePont de l AlmaNext upstreamPont des InvalidesNext downstreamPasserelle DebillyCharacteristicsDesignGirder bridgeTotal length153 m 502 ft Width42 m 138 ft Location Contents 1 History 1 1 Construction 1 2 The Zouave statue and flooding 1 3 Reconstruction 1 4 Death of Diana Princess of Wales 2 Technical specifications 3 Access 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditConstruction Edit Construction of an arch bridge took place between 1854 and 1856 It was designed by Paul Martin Gallocher de Lagalisserie and was inaugurated by Napoleon III on 2 April 1856 Each side of both of the two piers was decorated with a statue of military nature a Zouave and a grenadier by Georges Diebolt and a skirmisher and an artilleryman by Arnaud The Zouave statue and flooding Edit The Zouave statue The Zouave statue partially submerged by floodwaters on 3 June 2016 Main article Zouave Pont de l Alma The general public took the original bridge as a measuring instrument for water levels in times of flooding on the Seine access to the footpaths by the river embankments usually was closed when the Seine s level reached the feet of The Zouave when the water hit his thighs the river was unnavigable During the great flood of the Seine in 1910 the level reached his shoulders 1 The French Civil Service used the Pont de la Tournelle not the Pont de l Alma to gauge flood levels and since 1868 uses the Pont d Austerlitz Reconstruction Edit The bridge underwent complete reconstruction as a girder bridge between 1970 and 1974 as it had been too narrow to accommodate the increasing traffic both on and below it moreover the structure had subsided some 80 centimeters Only the statue of the Zouave was retained the Skirmisher was relocated to the Gravelle Stronghold in Vincennes the Grenadier to Dijon and the Artilleryman to La Fere Death of Diana Princess of Wales Edit Entrance to the Pont de l Alma tunnel in April 1998 the site where Diana s car clipped a white Fiat collided with a road pillar and then hit the wall Main article Death of Diana Princess of Wales The bridge is close to the Pont de l Alma tunnel where Diana Princess of Wales and three others were involved in a fatal car crash on 31 August 1997 They were being chased by paparazzi and their chauffeur was driving under the influence of alcohol 2 3 The Flame of Liberty completed in 1987 at the bridge s north end has become an unofficial memorial to Diana The square is now officially named Place Diana 4 The tunnel is known as an accident black spot from 1982 to 1997 as there were 11 deaths in the area 5 Technical specifications EditPont de l Alma has a length of 153 meters 502 ft and a width of 42 meters 138 ft Access EditThe Metro station Alma Marceau is near the north end of the bridge RER station Pont de l Alma near the south end References Edit Paris readies for floods as Seine surges higher video BBC News 27 January 2018 Whitney Craig R 31 August 1997 Diana Killed in a Car Accident in Paris The New York Times p 1 Retrieved 10 July 2011 John King John Beveridge 2001 Princess Diana The Hidden Evidence SP Books p 282 ISBN 978 1 56171 922 8 Retrieved 31 May 2013 Chazan David 30 May 2019 Paris pays homage to Princess Diana by naming a square after her 22 years after fatal car crash The Telegraph London The day the world wept The New Zealand Herald Retrieved 1 May 2022 External links Edit France portal Transport portal Engineering portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pont de l Alma in French Pictures of the old and the new bridge in French Bridge history Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pont de l 27Alma amp oldid 1142583447, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
