Toulouse residents often use it, but do they know its history? The Bridge of the Catalans is one of the main bridges that still stands over the Garonne, in the Pink City. By telling you its story, L’Opinion Indépendante comes to the end of its thematic series of Toulouse bridges.
Why is it called the Pont des Catalans?
The Bridge of the Catalans owes its name to the friendship that has linked the city of Toulouse to that of Barcelona since the visit of its mayor, Domènec Sanllehy i Alrich, on June 4, 1907. But it has not always borne this name. Indeed, it had initially been baptized “Pont des Amidonniers” because of the district on which it overlooked.
It is the architect Paul Séjourné who is at the origin of this building. Built from 1903 to 1913, the Pont des Catalans is entirely made of cut stone for the piers and brick for the arches. The deck is in reinforced concrete. It is 257m long, 22m wide and 45m high. Consisting of a dual carriageway, it has the function of a router bridge.
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The origin of the construction of the Pont des Catalans
Where does the origin of the construction of the Pont des Catalans ? The building has always had the vocation of a road bridge, constituting the last stage of the development of the city tour by the boulevards, thus linking the Amidonniers district to Saint-Cyprien. In 1901, the municipality launched the bridge in competition. The conditions: the deck had to support two county railway tracks, two road tracks and sidewalks.
The most economical project was a seven-span steel bridge with a 35 m span. Its construction was estimated at 940,000 Francs. This project was quickly refuted by the Jury chaired by Jean Résal who found its architecture poor and in disagreement with the environment of the city. Paul Séjourné, who was part of the jury as an expert, proposed in December 1901 a “ring” bridge in stone and brick. This project will therefore have a significant impact.
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An innovative technique for the Pont des Catalans
Le Pont des Catalans is not the most impressive nor the oldest bridge in the city. After obtaining the design of the Adolphe bridge in Luxembourg, Paul Séjourné was inspired by the original technique borrowed from the building in two perfectly parallel and identical masonry bridges, each 3.25 m wide and 10 m apart. This innovative technique combines solidity, elegance and economy of materials and labour.
The regular openings in the arches give it the air of Pont-Neuf. A feeling accentuated by its red brick eardrums, designed by Paul Séjourné to allow a harmonious integration of the bridge into the city. The gills are shaped like scallops, in reference to the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques hospital. The building has been listed as a historical monument since 2018. It is the fourth listed bridge in Toulouse.
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