The Pont Julien (
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
for ''Julian Bridge'') is a
Roman stone arch bridge over the
Calavon river, in the south-east of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
, 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
Apt. is an abbreviation for apartment.
Apt may also refer to:
Places
* Apt Cathedral, a former cathedral, and national monument of France, in the town of Apt in Provence
* Apt, Vaucluse, a commune of the Vaucluse département of France
* A ...
. Originally, it was built on the
Via Domitia
The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania through Gallia Narbonensis, across what is now Southern France. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and ...
, an important
Roman road
Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman R ...
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.
Gallery
File:Pont Julien, Provence.jpg, View of the Pont Julien
File:Pont Julien, a 3 BC Roman arch bridge over the Calavon river, built on the Via Domitia, France (14715047351).jpg, View of the underside of one of the arches
Pont Julien - new road bridge.jpg, The modern bridge crossing the Cavalon upriver of the bridge
Bonnieux Pont Julien.jpg, View of the bridge on an old postcard
File:Pont Julien, a 3 BC Roman arch bridge over the Calavon river, built on the Via Domitia, France (14531782037).jpg, The dry riverbed of the Calavon and the main arch of the bridge
File:Pont Julien in March.jpg, Pont Julien in March
See also
*
List of bridges in France
*
List of Roman bridges
This is a list of Roman bridges. The Romans were the world's first major bridge builders. The following list constitutes an attempt to list all known surviving remains of Roman bridges.
A Roman bridge in the sense of this article includes a ...
*
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted the external language of classical Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient Romans, but was different from Greek buildings, becoming a new architectural style. The two styles are often considered o ...
*
Roman engineering
The ancient Romans were famous for their advanced engineering accomplishments. Technology for bringing running water into cities was developed in the east, but transformed by the Romans into a technology inconceivable in Greece. The architecture ...
References
*
*
External links
*
Traianus– Technical investigation of Roman public works
{{DEFAULTSORT:Julien, Pont
Roman bridges in France
Deck arch bridges
Stone bridges in France
Bridges completed in the 1st century BC
Buildings and structures in Vaucluse
Transport in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Tourist attractions in Vaucluse