Construction of canal bridge 1688-1689 (≈ 1689)
Directed by Gillade under Vauban.
24 avril 1998
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 24 avril 1998 (≈ 1998)
Registered by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The aqueduct-bridge, on the canal (public domain, not cadastralized): registration by order of 24 April 1998
Key figures
Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban - Military engineer
Designer of deck plans.
Dominique Gillade - Architect
Construction manager.
Origin and history
The bridge-channel of Negra is an emblematic work of the Canal du Midi, located in the hamlet of Negra, in the commune of Montesquieu-Lauragais (Haute-Garonne). Built between 1688 and 1689, it crossed the Thesauque, a tributary of the Hers-Vif, and is directly adjacent to the lock of Negra. This aqueduct-bridge illustrates the ingenuity of the hydraulic techniques of the time, integrated into the river network designed to connect the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
The construction of the canal bridge is attributed to military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, famous for his work of fortification and development of the waterways. The plans were executed by architect Dominique Gillade, under the supervision of Vauban. The work, characteristic of the industrial heritage of the Grand Century, bears witness to the collaboration between the military and civilians in the modernization of French infrastructures.
Ranked as historical monuments by decree of 24 April 1998, the Negra Canal Bridge today embodies a major technical and architectural heritage. Its inscription in the Merimée base and its precise location (196 Negra Lock) make it a remarkable site for the study of the Canal du Midi and its impact on Occitan territory. The canal's green lane, close by, now allows visitors to discover this heritage in a preserved setting.
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