The Petit Pont (Little Bridge) is located at the site where the first bridges across the Seine were built. It traverses the branch of the Seine separating the Isle de la Cité from the left bank, and together with the ' Grand Pont' (now the Pont Notre Dame ) provides a crossing. In his 'Commentaries" Julius Caesar reports a five-arched bridge at this location. During the Middle Ages several bridges were built here, each swept away by floods. In 1409 Charles VI ordered the construction of a three-arched bridge that served until 1718. It was replaced in 1719 by another which had to be torn down in 1850 when the smaller branch of the Seine was made navigable. The current single span dates from 1853.