Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The bridge over the Thongue de Servian was built as part of the work financed by the states of the province of Languedoc to develop the large road connecting Béziers to Montpellier via Pézenas. This major axis, punctuated with art works, was aimed at facilitating travel and trade in the region. The bridge, composed of five uneven arches supported by batteries equipped with avant-becs, illustrates the typical stone construction techniques of the era.

In 1750, a flood of the Thongue Creek partially damaged the bridge, including two arches adjacent to the Great West Arch and a section of it. The repairs, carried out in October 1751, demonstrate the importance attached to the sustainability of this strategic work. The whole, now classified as a Historical Monument since 1983, reflects both a technical heritage and a political will to modernise road infrastructure in Languedoc.

Architecturally, the bridge is distinguished by its vaults, walls and foregrounds entirely constructed of stone, a characteristic of the bridges of this period. Located on the old National Route 9, it also symbolizes the evolution of communication networks under the Old Regime. Its location in Servian, in the current department of the Hérault, makes it a landmark in the history of transport in Occitanie.

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