The Paris Alma Bridge takes its name from the battle of Alma fought during the Crimean War. It is an arch bridge based on three pillars. It was decorated with four images of soldiers participating in the Crimean War - a grenadier, an artilleryman, a walker and a zuwawa. The zuwa figure has become an indicator of changes in the water level in the Seine.
When the river reached the figure's feet, the river barges were stopped, the level reaching to the knees meant a flood alarm. The highest recorded increase in the Seine's waters took place in 1910, when the water level reached the arms of the zuwawa. The model for this sculpture was André Louis Gody, a real participant in the Crimean War.
The Alma Bridge was built between 1854 and 1856 according to the design and under the direction of engineer Gariel. It was inaugurated on April 12, 1856 by Napoleon III. In the vicinity of the bridge, poet Jacek Bierezin, hit by a car, was killed in 1993. In 1997, Princess Diana died in a car accident at the entrance to the tunnel under the bridge.
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