The history of the Saint-Bénézet bridge of Avignon is associated with the legend of a young shepherd from the 12th century, Bénézet, who - sent by God - would have come down from his mountains of Ardèche in 1177 to tell the inhabitants of Avignon to build a bridge. Challenged by the prelate of the city to load an enormous stone on his shoulders and throw it into the Rhône, Bénezet, aided by divine intervention and by angels bathed in golden light, allegedly lifted and threw the block of stone into the water in front of the astonished crowd.