Paris Apartments

Champs-Elysees apartments Pont de l'Alma

ALMA BRIDGE HISTORY

Among the 37 bridges that cross the Seine, Alma is surely one of the most famous bridges. This is one of the great works of Baron Haussmann, who tried to link new residential areas on the banks of the Seine (Champs-Elysees, Eiffel Tower apartments). Besides that, the construction of the bridge is to prepare for the Universal Exhibition in 1855. Starting construction in 1854 after the victory of France-British alliance over Russia in Crimea, under the supervision of engineers Gariel, but until April 2, 1956 it was inaugurated by Napoleon III and was named as Alma Battle.

Construction

This was a unique stone bridge. The eyes were decorated by four statues of military nature: a Zouave, a Grenadier (by Georges Diebolt), an infantryman and an artillery solider (by Arnaud). Four statues represent the four regiments that fought bravely in the Crimea Gulf War. Each statue weighs 70 tons and  are 6 meters high. The Parisian also used Zouave soldier statue as a measuring instrument for water level and a dam in times of flooding on the Seine. When the water levels rise to the statue’s feet, the traffic on the river Seine was closed on a large scale, and when the water level hits to the thigh of the statue, the traffic must stop completely. Historically we recognized in 1910 the Seine water level reached to the shoulder of the statue. The French Civil Service, however, officially uses the Pont de la Tournelle to gauge the flood levels — not the Pont de l’Alma.

Reconstruction

Linking avenue George V  to the Branly embankment; connecting 7th,8th and 16th districts of Paris, with the fast-growing of the city of light, it became too narrow for the density of road traffic and blocking water flow and movement of vessels and barges of river traffic. In early 1960 a book presented this problem and gave many solution of nearly 80cm was showed and the decision to replace it had been approved in June 1, 1963, but the work did not begin before May 11, 1970. New bridge was constructed under the supervision of JFCosne and Ch.Blan (engineer) and M. A. Arsac Dougnac (architects) from 1970 to 1974. The total length of the bridge is 142.5 meters with two-arch continuous asymmetrical 31.5 meters and 110 meters. Usable width is 42 m with two roadways of 14m, two pavements of 6 m, a central reservation of 2 m. After the new bridge was completed, the infantryman statue was transferred to Vincennes forest, the Grenadier soldier was transferred to Dijon, and the artillery soldier was moved to Fere, the Aisne. Only the Zouave soldier is retained but moved to a higher position and lost water level forecast significant for the Seine.

TOURIST ATTRACTION NEAR ALMA BRIDGE

Flame of Liberty and Death of Diana, Princess of Wales

In 1987, the weekly newspaper International Herald Tribune presented to the Paris city government sculptures The Flame of Liberty, adaptation of the Statue of Liberty in New York. This work to commemorate the friendship between France and the United States and also to thank the French joined to restore the statue in New York. It was inaugurated on 10 May , 1989.

On August 31, 1997, Diana Princess’s car and her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed got the traffic accidence in the Alma tunnel, the connection between the Alma Bridge and square. This tragic accident led to the death of the princess and Al-Fayed. After this event the Flame of Liberty has become the memorial of Diana Princess.(Official memorial of Princess in the garden of Le Marais district.)

Paris Sewers Museum (Le Musée des Égouts de Paris)

Near the Alma Bridge, you can see a little blue kiosk (ticket booth), situated next to the hole in the ground, it’s the entrance of Paris sewers Museum – one of the most stranger museum all over the world. Let’s discover Paris from underground, it’s so amazing for you.

With over 2km galleries, Paris Sewers Museum gives us a general look about water system in Paris. It displays the machines, models, water filtration systems and describes very detailed the techniques that the workers have used. In addition to, you can learn about Aubriot, Eugene Belgrand, Baron Haussmann who have most of credit in the construction and development of sewer system in Paris and its history.

It is open every from 11:00 to 16h or 17h depending on the season day except Thursday and Friday, and closed three weeks in January.

Avenue George V

The original nameof this avenue is Alma. But after that, in july 14, 1918 it was changed into avenue George V in other to honor Geprge Frederick Ernest Albert– a King of The United Kingdom.

It is well-known with a wide range of luxurious hotels, the best is Georges V Hotel which is as a palace with Art Deco and Crazy Horse Saloon style. It was built in 1928 by André Terrail, a merchant who owns the reputable restaurant La Tour d'Argent. Today, the George V hotel in the system of Four Seasons Hotel (Four Seasons Hotel) of Kingdom Holding Company, the company is invested by Saudi prince Al-Walid ben Talal ben Abd al-Aziz Al Saoud.

One more interesting place in Georges V Avenue is American Church (Cathédrale américaine de Paris ). It was built in 1814 with Gothic style by an England engineer Edmund George Street. The American Church in Paris is the first American church established outside the United States, it serves both the expatriate American community, and a wide variety of English-speaking people from different countries and denominational backgrounds.

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