This bridge between the Institut and Palais du Louvre owes its name to the fact that the Louvre had been called the Palais des Arts at the time of its foundation. The original footbridge was constructed on its current site between 1801 and 1804; reserved for pedestrians, it comprises of 9 cast-iron arches 17 metres wide. It was Paris's first iron bridge and has been restored many times, principally after a bombardment in 1918, then in June 1944. Another collapse in 1979 raised the problem of its reconstruction. Finally, the decision was taken to rebuild the bridge reducing the number of supports in the river and enlarging the navigable channels, which were to be aligned with those of the Pont Neuf. The new footbridge was inaugurated in June 1984 by Jacques Chirac, (then) mayor of Paris.