Pont de Bir-Hakeim

About

The Pont de Bir-Hakeim (French: [pɔ̃ d(ə) biʁakɛm]; English: Bir Hakeim Bridge), is a steel open spandrel deck arch bridge on stone masonry starlings, which crosses the Seine in Paris, France. The bridge is named after the 1942 battle in Libya; until 1948 it was known as the Pont de Passy ([pɔ̃ d(ə) pasi]; Passy Bridge). The Pont de Bir-Hakeim connects the 15th and 16th arrondissements, passing over the northeast end of the Île aux Cygnes (Isle of the Swans).

The bridge, made of steel, was constructed between 1903 and 1905, in replacement of a footbridge that had been erected in 1878. The bridge has two levels: one for motor vehicles and pedestrians, the other being a rail viaduct (the Viaduc de Passy) built above the first one, through which passes Line 6 of the Paris Métro. The bridge is 237 metres (778 ft) long and 24.7 metres (81 ft) wide. The part crossing the Grand Bras ('great anabranch') of the Seine (west from the island) is slightly longer than the one crossing the Petit Bras ('small anabranch').