# Pont Alexandre III, Paris > The Pont Alexandre III is the most lavish bridge in Paris, spanning the Seine between the Champs-Élysées and the Left Bank. It was built in 1896–1900 for the World's Fair and named after the Russian emperor Alexander III to mark the Franco-Russian alliance; Nicholas II laid its first stone. A single low steel arch carries it, and four tall pylons with gilded statues and winged horses stand at its corners. Lamps, nymphs and cherubs make it a favourite photo spot. It's free to cross. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-alexandre-iii - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 51/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 20 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Hours: Open 24 hours - Built: 1896–1900 - Arch: A single steel arch, 6 m high - Duration: ≈ 15–30 minutes - Location: 7th and 8th arrondissements, metro Invalides - Coordinates: 48.86361, 2.31361 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1900** — opened for the World's Fair (source: English Wikipedia) - **1896** — Nicholas II laid the first stone (source: English Wikipedia) - **17 m** — height of the statue pylons (source: English Wikipedia) - **4** — gilded Fames with Pegasus (source: English Wikipedia) ## About the Pont Alexandre III The Pont Alexandre III links the Right Bank by the Grand Palais and the [Champs-Élysées](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees) with the Left Bank, with views of the Invalides esplanade and the [Eiffel Tower](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/eiffel-tower). It's considered the most ornate and extravagant bridge in Paris, and it has been a French historic monument since 1975. It was built in **1896–1900** and named after the Russian emperor **Alexander III**, who concluded an alliance with France in 1892. His son Nicholas II laid the first stone in October **1896**. It opened for the 1900 World's Fair together with the neighbouring Grand Palais and Petit Palais, whose architecture its style echoes. ## What to see - **The gilded Fames** — four statues with winged horses on the pylons. - **Art Nouveau lamps** — bronze candelabra with cherubs. - **The Nymphs of the Seine and the Neva** — copper reliefs at mid-arch. - **Lions at the entrances** — sculptures by Gardet and Dalou. - **The Grand Palais and Petit Palais** — 1900 fair palaces nearby. - **The river view** — with the Eiffel Tower downstream. ## An engineering marvel The bridge is a marvel of 19th-century engineering. It is carried by a **single steel arch** spanning the whole river and rising only about **six metres**. The architects Joseph Cassien-Bernard and Gaston Cousin had to make sure it didn't block the views of the Champs-Élysées and the Invalides, so it was built this low and flat. To hold the arch, massive stone pylons **17 metres** tall stand at the corners, acting as counterweights without obstructing the panoramas. The engineers Jean Résal and Amédée Alby built the bridge, a very bold project for its time. > **When to come for photos** The best light is at sunrise and sunset, when the gilded statues blaze in the sun with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. In the evening the lamps come on and the bridge becomes especially romantic. The classic shot is from the Right Bank quay by the Grand Palais or from a sightseeing boat passing under the arch. Early mornings are nearly empty; by day you'll often see wedding shoots. ## Statues and decoration The pylons are crowned by four gilded **Fames** restraining winged Pegasus horses. On the Right Bank stand the Fame of the Sciences and the Fame of the Arts by Emmanuel Frémiet; on the Left, the Fames of Commerce and Industry. At the pylons' bases sit allegories of France in different ages, Charlemagne, the Renaissance, Louis XIV and the modern era, and bronze lions guard the entrances. At the centre of the arch on both sides are copper reliefs: the **Nymphs of the Seine** with the arms of Paris face the **Nymphs of the Neva** with the arms of Imperial Russia, a symbol of friendship between the two countries. In the same era St Petersburg built its Trinity Bridge, also dedicated to the alliance. Art Nouveau lamps with cherubs and sea creatures line the parapets. ## The Grand Palais and Petit Palais On the Right Bank the bridge leads straight to the **Grand Palais** and **Petit Palais**, two palaces built for the same 1900 fair. The Grand Palais, with its vast glass roof, hosts exhibitions, fairs and sporting events, while the Petit Palais houses the city's fine arts museum, whose permanent collection is usually free. The bridge opens a wide vista: on one side Avenue Winston Churchill towards the Champs-Élysées, on the other the esplanade with its golden dome on the Left Bank. Downstream you see the Eiffel Tower, upstream the Pont de la Concorde and the Louvre. ## The bridge in films and festivities The Pont Alexandre III often appears in films and music videos, from romantic scenes to chases and adverts. Newlyweds from around the world love it, and in summer Parisians relax on the quays beneath it. In **2024** the bridge hosted the Olympic triathlon and marathon swimming events, and parades and cycling finishes are often held nearby on the Champs-Élysées. ## How to get there 1. Metro lines 8 and 13 and RER C to **Invalides**, a 3-minute walk. 2. Metro lines 1 and 13 to **Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau**, 5 minutes to the Grand Palais and bridge. 3. From the Eiffel Tower, a 25-minute walk along the Seine. 4. From the Place de la Concorde, 10 minutes along the quay. ## Tips for your visit Fit the bridge into a riverside walk from the Place de la Concorde to the Eiffel Tower, or from the Champs-Élysées to the Left Bank. Stop in the middle to look at the nymphs, then go down to the quay to see the arch from below. With children, the Petit Palais across the road is a good stop, with a café in its garden. Seine boats dock nearby too. The bridge is open public space with no ticket office. In the evening it's busy with tourists and street sellers, so keep your belongings close. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Photograph the gilded Pegasus statues - [ ] Find the Nymphs of the Seine and Neva - [ ] Go down to the quay under the arch - [ ] Look into the Petit Palais - [ ] Come at sunset ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [Pont Neuf](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-neuf) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Pont Alexandre III](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-alexandre-iii) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free - [Île de la Cité](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/ile-de-la-cite) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city island - [Canal Saint-Martin](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/canal-saint-martin) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Seine river cruise](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/seine-cruise) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 1-hour cruise, dinner costs more ## Don't mix it up The Pont Alexandre III is the ornate 1900 bridge by the Grand Palais; the Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge in Paris, from 1607, by the Île de la Cité. ## Tips - Sunset gold. - Lamps at night. - The arch from the quay. - The Petit Palais nearby. ## Questions ### Why is the bridge named after Alexander III? To mark the Franco-Russian alliance the Russian emperor concluded in 1892. ### When was the bridge built? In 1896–1900, for the 1900 World's Fair. ### Is there a fee to cross? No, the bridge is open 24 hours and free. ### What's near the bridge? The Grand Palais, Petit Palais, the Champs-Élysées and the Seine quays. ### How do I get to the Pont Alexandre III? By metro or RER C to Invalides. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. The bridge is open public space with no tickets or opening hours. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Pont Alexandre III - City of Paris website, paris.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.