This is the oldest bridge across the Seine that managed to survive from the 17th century up till today.
Before 1562 there had been another bridge that stood in its place but before this bridge began its construction all of the houses and the bridges were made out of wood. So when this structure made out of stone began people began to call it the new bridge which in French is Pont Neuf.
When you were there don't forget to see the 12 rounded arch cornices with macarons (masks in Italian)
this kind of ornament used in ancient Roman buildings is called “grotesque” in architecture. There are 384 faces in total with strange features combining human, animal, and floral designs.
When you look at the opposite from this bridge you will see the Pont des arts, in other words, the lovers' bridge, where locks were connected in the past. Today however both sides of the bridge are covered with glass to prevent locks from being placed into the sides of the railing. This is because, after many years of people placing locks on the railings, the railings began to buckle.
The bridge was designed by Baptist du cerceau and the Pierce des Iles. the work was paused between 1562 and 1598 because of the religious wars between the Catholics and the Protestants.
Even before the bridge was completed in 1607, gangs head out in and around it, robbing and murdering people. It remained a dangerous place even as it became busier. For a long time, the bridge even had its own gallows.
This did not stop people from all over to come and congregate at Pont Neuf. it was here that you could find” doctors” who would pull teeth, or cure incurable illnesses.
Pont Neuf has a statue of King Henry the 4th. This statue was actually melted down during the French Revolution. It was replaced by a replica in 1818 during the restoration. Legend says that the sculpture of this new statue was a Bonapartism, who hid anti-royalist pamphlets inside. In 2004, the city decided to open the statue to kill the rumors. Inside the belly of the horse, the workers found seven boxes containing documents related to the inauguration of the statue, or about the king, and some medals. They also found some scrolls belonging to the sculptor, which unfortunately could not be deciphered even today.
If you walk behind the Henry the IV statue you will find a small descending staircase. At the bottom of the staircase, look back towards the bridge, your back facing the small park that is under the bridge. You will find a plaque that reads;
"A cet endroit Jacques de Moley Dernier Grand Maitre de L’ordre du temple a été brule le 18 Mars 1314"
Or, in this place Jacques de Moley last Grand Master of the knight templars was burned
His Last Words according to Maurice Druon's The Iron King, that is Pope Clement, Chevalier Guillaume de Nogaret, King Philip! I summon you to the Tribunal of Heaven before the year is out!
Over the years, the knight's templars accumulated large amounts of gold and spread their power and influence throughout Europe. They were accountable only to the Pope himself, which meant unlimited power and freedom. This was very tempting for their enemies when finally, their popularity dwindled and both the Pope and the king of France decided to get rid of them. The religious zealous that had once Protected them became an excuse to get rid of them. The Pope claimed the day was practicing dark magic, and King Henry IV decided to get rid of them one by one to collect their gold. Jacques de Moley is the last Grand Laster standing.
As Dante put it, King Philip, or the ‘Plague of France’ had led France to bankruptcy with futile wars. Highly in debt, he was naturally eager to use any convenient source of money that presented itself.
But this was far from over and nothing compared to what he had arranged for the Templars. He invited the grandmaster, De Molay, to his sister-in-law’s funeral to make sure that he was in his proximity. On Friday, October 13, 1307, he ordered the full arrest of all Templars. What was the reason for their arrest? Hersey. So, he had them imprisoned and tortured to get them to confess.
The Templars’ downfall had already started since their population had dramatically fallen. They had lost their headquarters in the Holy Land, so they had to move to France. They were still wealthy, though. But their arrest was the last straw since the king wanted to wipe them out from the face of France.
In his attempt to arrest the Templars, King Philip violated the Omne Datum Optimum decree (i.e., the order that made the Templars answerable to the Pope only). Even the Pope could not prevent him from this arrest. In addition to engaging in blasphemous acts and rituals, the Templars were accused of other heinous acts such as homosexuality, refusing to observe sacred rituals, and even worshiping a false idol.
Jacques De Molay, the Last Grandmaster of the Knight Templars.
Most of the Templars had to confess under torture. Even the Pope tried to save them by interviewing dozens of Templars and De Molay himself. Although they confessed to some minor offenses, their acts could not be taken as blasphemy or heresy.
Some of their seemingly blasphemous acts were truly justified. For example, spitting and cursing at the cross was not something that they intentionally committed. They did it to prove their seniors' loyalty and save their own lives. This led Pope Clement to exonerate the Templars, ruling out the acts of profanity.
However, the Pope’s verdict could not stop the king. He declared 54 Templars guilty and ordered them to burn them at the stake. The Knights Templar was officially disbanded by the Pope in 1312. De Molay was acquitted but was not released since the king wanted him to reveal what he thought to be the treasure of the Templars. His refusal to do so, as well as his public denial of his previous confessions, led the king to sentence him to death. He was slowly burned at stakes in Île aux Juifs in Paris.
