Le pont Neuf : The first stone of the "Pont Neuf" was laid in 1578, but the work was completed only in 1604. Contrary to all architectural and structural considerations, it is now the most famous bridge in Paris for in fact it is two spans each anchored on the tip of the Isle de la Cité. For its time it was quite wide, constructed to house rows of shops, but in the the end Henri IV granted permission for transient commerce only. In early times (1775-1854) the bastions (supports?) were topped by shops. Unique to the this bridge are the 384 ' grotesques' bizarre sculptured faces on the cornices. The bridge is classed as a "Monument historique".