Crafted of wood and cast iron, the lightweight and elegant construction comprised 3 spans. The bridge nevertheless proved to be quite fragile and required reinforcing on several occasions.

The bridge eventually proved too narrow for the ever-increasing automobile traffic and was replaced with the current structure in 1939. Located a little further downstream than the original, the bridge leads to the entrance to the Louvre and the Place du Carrousel, from which it takes its name. Gracing each end of the bridge are allegorical statues: at one end Abundance coupled with Industry, at the other the Seine and the City of Paris. Four magnificent light posts by sculptor Raymond Subes complete the bridge’s decoration.