The construction of the bridge came from a necessity to link the
Faubourg Saint-Antoine on the right bank to the Jardin des Plantes on the left bank. At the beginning of the 19th century the first bridge was constructed. In 1801, the engineer Becquey de Beaupré proposed a five-arched bridge. In 1854, the bridge was judged dangerous and the width was increased to 18 meters (59 feet) and finally to 30 meters (98 feet). == Characteristics==