The Pont Saint-Bénézet, also known as the Pont d'Avignon, was a medieval bridge across the Rhône in the town of Avignon, in southern France. Only four arches survive.
The surviving four arches of the Pont St-Bénézet
The bridge in a print published in 1575 with the arches intact
The north side of the bridge with the Chapel of Saint Nicholas
Drawbridge connecting the bridge to the gatehouse in the city wall
Avignon is the prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the commune had a population of 93,671 as of the census results of 2017, with about 16,000 living in the ancient town centre enclosed by its medieval walls. It is France's 35th-largest metropolitan area according to INSEE with 337,039 inhabitants (2020), and France's 13th-largest urban unit with 459,533 inhabitants (2020). Its urban area was the fastest-growing in France from 1999 until 2010 with an increase of 76% of its population and an area increase of 136%. The Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Avignon, a cooperation structure of 16 communes, had 197,102 inhabitants in 2022.
Image: Vue aérienne 2 JP Campomar
Image: Park beim Papstpalast in Avignon 01 (cropped)
Image: Avignon, Palais des Papes depuis Tour Philippe le Bel by JM Rosier (cropped)
Image: Le Pont d'Avignon (cropped)
