Passerelle Debilly
Encyclopedia
The Passerelle Debilly (Debilly Footbridge) is an arch bridge
situated in Paris
bestriding the Seine
. It is a footbridge
that connects the quai de New York to the quai Branly, close to the Eiffel Tower
.
across the Seine
, the General Commissioner of the Exposition, Alfred Picard, approved the construction of a provisional footbridge opposite the Avenue Albert de Mun, to join the Army and Navy Halls to the exhibit recreating old Paris. Its architect, Jean Résal, also designed the Pont Alexandre III
and the Viaduc d'Austerlitz
.
The Debilly footbridge had, as well, a succession of provisional names. It was initially called passerelle de l'Exposition Militaire or passerelle de Magdebourg, only later passerelle Debilly, after General Jean Louis Debilly
of the French First Empire
who was killed in the Battle of Jena
in 1806. The bridge became a permanent fixture from its original provisional status under the management of the City of Paris in 1906 after it was relocated opposite to the rue de la Manutention.
The footbridge is built on a metallic framework resting on two stone
piers
at the riverbanks, and decorated with dark green ceramic tiles arranged in a fashion that suggests the impression of waves. Along with the Eiffel Tower
, this is the second metallic structure that stands as an attestation to the engineering achievements of its epoch. Nevertheless, in 1941, the Debilly footbridge was threatened with disappearance when the president of the architectural society characterized it as a forgotten accessory of a past event. Fortunately, as a contemporary of the Pont Alexandre III
and the Austerlitz Viaduct
, the Passerelle Debilly was eventually included in the supplementary registry of historical monuments in 1966.
The bridge was repainted in 1991 and its cladding resurfaced with hard tropical wood in 1997.
. As it turned out, the footbridge was used as a secret gathering place for the secret service agents of East Germany during the Cold War
. It is certainly one of the reasons that pushed Brian De Palma
to shoot a scene of his thriller Femme Fatale
on that footbridge in 2002.
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
situated in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
bestriding the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
. It is a footbridge
Footbridge
A footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
that connects the quai de New York to the quai Branly, close to the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
.
History
In order to accommodate visitor traffic to the 1900 World's FairWorld's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
across the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
, the General Commissioner of the Exposition, Alfred Picard, approved the construction of a provisional footbridge opposite the Avenue Albert de Mun, to join the Army and Navy Halls to the exhibit recreating old Paris. Its architect, Jean Résal, also designed the Pont Alexandre III
Pont Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is an arch bridge that spans the Seine, connecting the Champs-Élysées quarter and the Invalides and Eiffel Tower quarter, widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagant bridge in Paris...
and the Viaduc d'Austerlitz
Viaduc d'Austerlitz
Viaduc d'Austerlitz is a single-deck, steel arch, rail bridge that crosses the Seine in Paris. Its usage is solely dedicated to the railroad traffic on Line 5 of the Parisian Metro Network...
.
The Debilly footbridge had, as well, a succession of provisional names. It was initially called passerelle de l'Exposition Militaire or passerelle de Magdebourg, only later passerelle Debilly, after General Jean Louis Debilly
Jean Louis Debilly
Jean Louis Debilly, General of Brigade in the Grande Armée, was born 30 July 1763 in Dreux, Eure-et-Loire, France, and died 14 October 1806, in the French victory over the Kingdom of Prussia at the Battle of Jena-Auerstadt...
of the French First Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
who was killed in the Battle of Jena
Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
The twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt were fought on 14 October 1806 on the plateau west of the river Saale in today's Germany, between the forces of Napoleon I of France and Frederick William III of Prussia...
in 1806. The bridge became a permanent fixture from its original provisional status under the management of the City of Paris in 1906 after it was relocated opposite to the rue de la Manutention.
The footbridge is built on a metallic framework resting on two stone
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
piers
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
at the riverbanks, and decorated with dark green ceramic tiles arranged in a fashion that suggests the impression of waves. Along with the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
, this is the second metallic structure that stands as an attestation to the engineering achievements of its epoch. Nevertheless, in 1941, the Debilly footbridge was threatened with disappearance when the president of the architectural society characterized it as a forgotten accessory of a past event. Fortunately, as a contemporary of the Pont Alexandre III
Pont Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is an arch bridge that spans the Seine, connecting the Champs-Élysées quarter and the Invalides and Eiffel Tower quarter, widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagant bridge in Paris...
and the Austerlitz Viaduct
Viaduc d'Austerlitz
Viaduc d'Austerlitz is a single-deck, steel arch, rail bridge that crosses the Seine in Paris. Its usage is solely dedicated to the railroad traffic on Line 5 of the Parisian Metro Network...
, the Passerelle Debilly was eventually included in the supplementary registry of historical monuments in 1966.
The bridge was repainted in 1991 and its cladding resurfaced with hard tropical wood in 1997.
German Diplomat
In 1989, a German diplomat working for the Secret Service of the Democratic Republic of Germany was found dead on this footbridge, several days after the Fall of the Berlin WallBerlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
. As it turned out, the footbridge was used as a secret gathering place for the secret service agents of East Germany during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. It is certainly one of the reasons that pushed Brian De Palma
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
to shoot a scene of his thriller Femme Fatale
Femme Fatale (2002 film)
Femme Fatale is a 2002 French mystery film directed by Brian De Palma. The film stars Rebecca Romijn as the femme fatale and Antonio Banderas...
on that footbridge in 2002.