Pont Julien

Bonnieux, France

The Pont Julien is a Roman stone arch bridge over the Calavon river, in the south-east of France, dating from 3 BC. The supporting columns are notable for openings to allow floodwater to pass through. It is located in the territory of the commune of Bonnieux, north of the village of the same name, and 8 km west of Apt. Originally, it was built on the Via Domitia, an important Roman road which connected Italy to the Roman territories in France. It was used for car traffic until 2005, when a replacement bridge was built to preserve it from wear and tear. It is still used as bike- and footpath. This amounts to approximately 2000 years of uninterrupted use.

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 3 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in France
Historical period: Roman Gaul (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Jerri Grunewald (4 months ago)
Beautiful, unusual bridge that comes to a slightly braised point in the middle.
Brad G (4 months ago)
Wow! Impressive place and to walk on a bridge that is over 2000 years old is very cool.
Sarah Jones (5 months ago)
Pont Julien is a well-preserved Roman bridge in Provence, built around 3 BCE as part of the Via Domitia, a major Roman road connecting Italy and Spain. The bridge's three arches showcase impressive Roman engineering. However, the river beneath it has dried up, which detracts from its scenic charm. Despite this, the bridge's historical significance and architectural beauty make it a worthwhile visit for history enthusiasts, even if the absence of water lessens its overall appeal.
Giles Morris (7 months ago)
A bridge that has been used for two millennia! (There's a new road bridge but pedestrian and bicycle traffic still uses the Roman bridge.) Well worth stopping to see this.
Steve Boothby (7 months ago)
Interesting old bridge over a dry river Cavalon bed (this was the beginning of June).
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.