The Devil's Bridge - all the arches

Jackie & Dennis
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The Devil's Bridge - all the arches
The Devil's Bridge - all the arches

Some more from lovefromtuscany.com/devils-bridge-tuscany

"So, who was responsible for it? The devil, of course. The man appointed to build the bridge despaired at being unable to finish his job on time. So Lucifer approached him and kindly offered to help. The man was deeply grateful, and couldn’t believe his luck. But of course, there was a price to pay. “The first soul who crosses the bridge will be mine” said the devil, ready with the contract in his hand. The man agreed. After all, what was a single soul in exchange for a bridge that would bring money and travellers to the town?

It took a single night for the unholy creature to complete this majestic bridge over the river Serchio. The following morning, when the man saw the imposing bridge reflected in the water, he finally realised what he had done. He ran to his confessor and told him everything. “Don’t worry” said the priest’ “we’ll send a pig to cross the bridge before anyone else”. The devil, outwitted, and scorned, dove into the Serchio never to be seen again."

brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/itineraries/place/MaddalenaBridge...

The arch on the left is for the railway - we saw the bridge (not quick enough for a photo) when we had a free day in Lucca via the train later in the week.

"The Maddalena Bridge owes its name to the sixteenth-century aedicule (no longer existent) on the left bank of the Serchio River in the vicinity of Borgo a Mozzano. Also known as Ponte del Diavolo (Devil’s bridge) for an old legend, it was probably built by order of Countess Mathilde of Canossa. With its peculiar "donkey back" structure and asymmetrical arches, it is a wonderful example of medieval engineering. It was later restored by Castruccio Castracani, condottiere and lord of Lucca in the early 14th century. In order to preserve its structure integral, in 1670 the General Council of the Republic of Lucca prohibited the transportation of millstones over it. A flood in 1836 caused serious damage to the structure, but the greatest alteration to the work occurred in the early 20th century when a new arch was made to enable the passage of the railway. The "donkey back" of this spectacular bridge can today be crossed on foot."

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Taken on: August 27, 2024
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