With shops, restaurants and homes, Pont De Rohan, a rooftop bridge in Landerneau, France, is one of the few inhabited bridges in the world. In 2010, Rohan Bridge celebrated its 500th birthday. However, five centuries of ups and downs have also crumbled the Bridge, and the local government is planning to repair it.
Pont De Rohan, a roof bridge in Landerneau, France. (Image source: Screenshot of the website of Euronews Tv)
A bridge from the Middle Ages
Euronews reported that the Rohan Bridge, located in the city of Roundeno in the Finistère department of northwestern France, straddles the Elorn River, is one of three bridges that are still inhabited in Europe today. Two other inhabited bridges in Europe are the Krämerbrücke in Erfurt, Germany, and the more famous Ponte Vecchio in Florence, both built in the Middle Ages.
The so-called house bridge is a combination of houses and bridges, which not only has the basic function of the bridge to guide traffic, but also can be used for residential and commercial activities. Some have only one building on the bridge, such as a church, mill or hospital, while others are dense gatherings of residential, public and commercial buildings. From the 13th to the 18th century, roof bridges were common in European cities, especially in large cities such as Paris or London, where they were an integral part of the city and often had a decisive impact on the urban landscape.
Originally built in 1336, the Bridge was rebuilt in 1510 by Jean II de Rohan of Rohan. The entire bridge is about 70 meters long and is at the confluence of freshwater and seawater. The bridge was originally occupied by only two storefronts: a mill and a prison, which were long occupied by prosperous handicraft traders. Over time, pharmacies, booksellers, cafeterias, and crepes manufacturers replaced saddlers, cloth merchants, and goldsmiths. Now, there are 15 residents living on the bridge, there are two rows of buildings, pharmacies, bookstores, restaurants, etc., as if a separate water world. "We lived there a bit like in a bubble, almost autonomous, surrounded by shops: there was real life on the bridge, a merchant owner nicknamed the bridge chief!" Mayor Patrick Leclerc, who has lived there for nearly a decade, laughs.
The "city" in the heart of the city
As for the reasons for the formation of the bridge, Magali Prigent, a cultural relics worker in charge of the protection of historical monuments in the city of Rondeno, said: "In the Middle Ages, it was easy to find the inhabited bridge in the city, that is, the house bridge. Because these were strategic locations and the medieval settlements were so concentrated, people would use every square meter to settle down. ”
Krämerbrücke in Erfurt, Germany. (Image source: Screenshot of the website of the German newspaper Le Monde)
Records of the first inhabited roof bridges date back to the 12th/13th century. According to the German newspaper Le Monde, there are some bridges that have been planned to be built from the beginning, while some bridges are gradually equipped with buildings. At that time, roof bridges were usually built for hygiene reasons. Waste and excrement from homes and hospitals built on the bridge were simply dumped in the water until the risk of epidemics was later recognized.
People also build churches on bridges in the hope that with God's help, flooding rivers will be controlled. By the 20th century, mills were found on many bridges, and people used the flow of the river to build large mills. Other bridges will defend cities or irrigate farmland by reinforcing defensive towers or raising levees.
In addition, the emergence of the bridge is also related to "real estate speculation". Since bridges are often located in the middle of the most important trade routes and are sought-after commercial locations, they also become profitable real estate assets. The market has been conducted on the bridge since the Middle Ages. At the same time, after renovation, the bridge is often a place where people hold public celebrations. As a result, as a link between the two parts of the city, The Bridge became a veritable commercial street and a "city" in the center of the city.
Disappearing urban landscape
Unfortunately, from the 18th century onwards, due to multiple reasons such as fire, sanitation, or town development, the roof bridge gradually disappeared from the urban landscape, and only a few survived.
Over the past 500 years, the static structure of the Rohan Bridge has been increasingly affected by the tides, and has experienced 4 fires, gradually reducing the number of residents. The bridge body of the Rohan Bridge is also affected by road traffic, and about 10,000 cars traveling every day is a heavy burden for the bridge. In addition, ownership issues have an impact on the protection of bridges. Rondeno owns only a relatively small part of the bridge's 70-meter-long structure. In August 2021, a landslide occurred in the area, causing damage to the bridge. Repairs are imminent.
Mayor Leclerc hopes the Rohan Bridge will soon be classified as a historical monument. Because, "it's a real city: between the inhabitants and the shops." You can stay there, eat, drink, and you can almost live independently there. But this inhabited bridge also carries the burden of its five-century age. For five centuries, some discomfort has arisen as a result of construction, reconstruction and change. At the end of August, a wall collapsed, causing a stone to fall off, and then the second, the third, and then the entire embankment under the pier, under the bridge, and a hanging part of the bridge, gradually disappeared. ”
The local government is classifying the historic sites of the Rohan Bridge, hoping to restore its splendor as a symbol of the city, restore the façade, install new lighting, renovate street facilities, reduce traffic around and find a place to explain its unique story. After the completion of future restoration work, it will become a landmark in the city of Loudino.
(Editor: Wen Geng)