The Pont-Neuf was an immediate success amongst strollers who appreciated its architectural innovations: the absence of houses permitted a view of the river and the Louvre, its width was accentuated by the addition of half moons on top of each pier, the sidewalks were protected from the mud and the horsemen.The bridge was soon continuously animated: it was overtaken by peddlers, book sellers and onlookers who congregated near the Samaritaine water pump, the city's water source. The bridge has hardly been modified: the 385 grotesque masks which once decorated the arches have disappeared (some of them are at Cluny and Carnavalet). The lamp posts of the 19th century were designed by Victor Baltard. In 1985, the artist Christo gift wrapped this symbol of the old Paris.