c. 1165-c. 1184

French Engineer

Bénézet, sometimes known as Benedictus, remains as enigmatic a figure as any in the history of engineering. It is not clear if he received any formal training as a builder, and indeed he claimed he had received his knowledge through divine inspiration. Only one thing about Bénézet's story is clearly defined and that is the creation for which he is known: the Pont d'Avignon, first great medieval bridge and one of the first to be built in France since the fall of the Roman Empire seven centuries earlier.

Bénézet would later be canonized, with a feast day on April 14, but some listings of saints do not include him—no doubt because so many aspects of his story have a hint of legend about them. It is worth noting that the...