The Arch of Germanicus stands beside the Charente river near the old bridge, a two-passage Roman triumphal arch built in 19 AD and dedicated to the emperor Tiberius and his adopted son Germanicus. It is one of the best-preserved Roman arches in France, and its location beside the river — moved here from its original roadside position in 1851 — makes it exceptionally photogenic.
The arch was originally one of two that marked the entrance to the Roman city; the second was demolished long ago. Its carved Corinthian columns and dedicatory inscriptions are still clearly legible, and the whole structure has survived nearly two thousand years with relatively little deterioration. The riverside setting, with the old bridge in the background, is particularly fine in the late afternoon when the stone turns golden.