Devil's Bridge is a term applied to dozens of ancient

bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

s, found primarily in Europe. Most of these bridges are

stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...

masonry Masonry is the craft of building a structure with brick, stone, or similar material, including mortar plastering which are often laid in, bound, and pasted together by mortar (masonry), mortar. The term ''masonry'' can also refer to the buildin ...

arch bridge An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its structural load, loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either si ...

s and represent a significant technological achievement in ancient architecture. Due to their unusual design, they were an object of fascination and stories in antiquity and

medieval Europe In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

. Each of the Devil's bridges typically has a corresponding

Devil A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conce ...

-related myth or folktale regarding its origin. These stories vary widely depending on the region and beliefs. Some have the Devil as the builder of the bridge, relating to the precariousness or impossibility of such a bridge to last or exist in the first place, so much so that only the Devil himself could have built it. Others have the knowledge to build such bridges given to mankind as a gift from the Devil as part of a deal, pact or bargain between the Devil and local populace, usually in exchange for their

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

Associated legends

The bridges that fall into the Devil's Bridge category are so numerous that the legends about them form a special category in the Aarne-Thompson (AT) classification system for folktales (Number 1191). Some legends have elements of related folktale-categories, for example Deceiving the

(AT #1196), The Devil's Contract (AT #756B), and The Master Builder legends. One version of the tale presents the bridge builder and the Devil as adversaries. This reflects the fact that frequently, such as in the case of the at the St Gotthard Pass, these bridges were built under such challenging conditions that successful completion of the bridge required a

hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...

ic effort on the part of the builders and the community, ensuring its legendary status. Other versions of the legend feature an old lady or a simple

herder A herder is a pastoralism, pastoral worker responsible for the care and management of a herd or flock of domestic animals, usually on extensive management, open pasture. It is particularly associated with nomadic pastoralism, nomadic or transhuma ...

who makes a pact with the Devil. In this version the devil agrees to build the bridge, in return receiving the first

to cross it. After building the bridge (often overnight) the devil is outwitted by his adversary (for example, by throwing bread to lure a dog over the bridge first) and is last seen descending into the water, bringing peace to the community. In the case of the in

Regensburg Regensburg (historically known in English as Ratisbon) is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Naab and Regen (river), Regen, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the ...

, the legend speaks of the devil helping in a race between the builders of the bridge and of the cathedral (in fact a significantly later construction), and a slight bump in the middle of the bridge is said to result from the devil's leaping with rage upon being tricked out of his prize. In the legend of in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

, which leads only over a small stream, the carpenter, in a pact with the devil, promised him the first soul to cross the bridge. On the day of inauguration, while the priest and county councillor debated who should step on the bridge first, a rabbit crossed it and the disappointed devil disappeared. A statue refers to the legend there. The legend of in Borgo a Mozzano, Province of

Lucca Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...

, tells of a local saint (often Saint Julian, the Hospitaller) who makes the pact with the devil. On the day of delivery, the saint sets fire to a dog or a pig, which crosses the bridge and deceives the devil. At

Sens Sens () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yonne Departments of France, department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France, 120 km southeast from Paris. Sens is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture and the second la ...

, a thirteenth-century legend tells of an architect who sold his soul to the devil and then subsequently repented. M. le Curé of Sens drove the devil away with holy water and with an exorcism formula beginning with the words '' Vade retro satana'', which he made the penitent repeat."Odd Phrases in Literature", ''The Irish Quarterly Review'', Volume 6, Part 1, 1856, note p. 683
/ref> The formula was, at some time, incorporated into the design of the popular

Saint Benedict Medal The Saint Benedict Medal is a Christianity, Christian sacramental devotional medal, medal containing symbols and text related to the life of Benedict of Nursia, Saint Benedict of Nursia, used by Roman Catholics, Old Catholic Church, Old Catholic ...

. Most of the bridges that have received the "Devil's Bridge" appellation are remarkable in some regard, most often for the technological hurdles surpassed in building the bridge, but on occasion for its

aesthetic Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and taste, which in a broad sense incorporates the philosophy of art.Slater, B. H.Aesthetics ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,'' , acces ...

grace as well, or for its

economic An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...

or strategic importance to the community it serves.

List of bridges

Antigua and Barbuda

*Devil's Bridge –

Antigua Antigua ( ; ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua ...

Argentina

*Puente La Noria –

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

Bulgaria

* Dyavolski most (Дяволски мост) – near Ardino

Colombia

*Puente del Común - Chía

Estonia

* Kuradisild –

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...

France

There are 49 Devil's Bridges in France, including: * Pont du Diable – Aniane, Gorges de l'Hérault,

Languedoc-Roussillon Languedoc-Roussillon (; ; ) is a former regions of France, administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, it joined with the region of Midi-Pyrénées to become Occitania (administrative region), Occitania. It comprised five departments o ...

*Pont du Diable – Villemagne-l'Argentière,

Hérault Hérault (; , ) is a departments of France, department of the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault (river), Hérault River, its Prefectures in France, prefecture is M ...

*Pont du Diable – Beaugency * Pont du Diable – Céret * Pont du Diable (Ariège) – near

Foix Foix ( , ; ; ) is a commune, the former capital of the County of Foix. It is the capital of the department of Ariège as it is the seat of the prefecture of that department. Foix is located in the Occitanie region of southwestern France ...

*Pont du Diable – Olargues *

Pont Valentré The Pont Valentré () (; ) is a 14th-century six-span fortified Rock (geology), stone arch bridge crossing the river Lot (river), Lot to the west of Cahors, in France. It has become a symbol of the city. After the decision was made to build it on ...

(Pont du Diable) –

Cahors Cahors (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the western part of Southern France. It is the smallest prefecture among the 13 departments that constitute the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Region. The capital and main city of t ...

* Pont du Diable – Crouzet Migette * Pont du Diable –

* Pont du Diable − La Forclaz

Germany

* Rakotzbrücke, Azalea and Rhododendron Park Kromlau – Saxony * –

Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

Teufelsbrück Teufelsbrück (''Devil's Bridge'') is the name of the area around the mouth of Flottbek (Elbe), Flottbek stream into River Elbe in Hamburg, Germany. It is located in the local subdistrict of Klein Flottbek and today belongs partly to the quarters ...

–

* Steinerne Brücke –

* –

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (), is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, the States of Ger ...

*Teufelsbrücke—Inzigkofen

Italy

*Ponte del Diavolo – ruins of a Roman bridge along Via Traiana near Montecalvo Irpino,

Campania Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islan ...

*Ponte del Diavolo –

Ascoli Piceno Ascoli Piceno (; ; ) is a (municipality) and capital of the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Italy, Italian region of Marche. Geography The town lies at the confluence of the Tronto, River Tronto and the small Castellano (river), River Castell ...

Marche Marche ( ; ), in English sometimes referred to as the Marches ( ) from the Italian name of the region (Le Marche), is one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. The region is located in the Central Italy, central area of the country, ...

*Ponte del Diavolo –

Blera Blera is a small town and ''comune'' in the northern Lazio region of Italy. It was known during the Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, ...

Lazio Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...

*Ponte del Diavolo (officially Ponte Vecchio, also ) –

Bobbio Bobbio (Emilian language#Dialects, Bobbiese: ; ; ) is a small town and ''comune'' in the province of Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is located in the Trebbia River valley southwest of the town Piacenza. There is also an abbey and a ...

, Emilia Romagna *Ponte del Diavolo or Ponte della Maddalena – Borgo a Mozzano,

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...

*Ponte del Diavolo – Cavallara (a frazione of Gualdo Cattaneo,

Umbria Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...

) * – Cerreto Sannita, Campania * –

Cividale Cividale del Friuli (, locally ; ; ) is a town and (municipality) in the Province of Udine, Regional decentralization entity of Udine, part of the Northern Italy, North-Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The town lies above sea-level in th ...

Friuli Friuli (; ; or ; ; ) is a historical region of northeast Italy. The region is marked by its separate regional and ethnic identity predominantly tied to the Friulians, who speak the Friulian language. It comprises the major part of the autono ...

*Ponte del Diavolo – Civita, Calabria *Ponte del Diavolo (''Su ponti de su tiaulu'' or ''Su ponti de is aremigus'') – Decimomannu,

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...

*Ponte del Diavolo (''Ponte Vecchio'') – Dronero,

Province of Cuneo The province of Cuneo (; ) is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west, it borders the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ( departments of Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes), to the north the ...

Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...

* – Faicchio, Campania * – Lanzo Torinese,

* –

Torcello Torcello (; ) is a sparsely populated island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon, in north-eastern Italy. It was first settled in 452 AD and has been referred to as the parent island from which Venice was populated. It was a town with ...

Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...

Netherlands

*Duivelsbrug – Breda

North Macedonia

* – Reka

Philippines

*Puente del Diablo (or Punta del Diablo) – Binangonan, Philippines

Portugal

* Ponte da Mizarela –

Braga District The district of Braga ( ) is a district in the northwest of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Braga, and it is bordered by the district of Viana do Castelo in the north, Vila Real in the east, Galicia (a Spanish autonomous commu ...

Romania

*Moara Dracului ("The Devil's mill") –

Câmpulung Moldovenesc Câmpulung Moldovenesc (; formerly spelled ''Cîmpulung Moldovenesc'') is a municipiu, city in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Bukovina. Câmpulung Moldovenesc is the fourth largest urban settleme ...

Russia

* – bypass route around the Severomuysky Tunnel,

Buryatia Buryatia, officially the Republic of Buryatia, is a republic of Russia located in the Russian Far East. Formerly part of the Siberian Federal District, it has been administered as part of the Far Eastern Federal District since 2018. To its nort ...

Slovenia

*Hudičev most – Bohinj *Hudičev most –

Tolmin Tolmin (; ,trilingual name ''Tolmein, Tolmino, Tolmin'' inGemeindelexikon, der im Reichsrate Vertretenen Königreiche und Länder. Bearbeit auf Grund der Ergebnisse der Volkszählung vom 31. Dezember 1900. Herausgegeben von der K.K. Statistische ...

Spain

*Puente del Diablo – Cueto, Spain * Puente del Diablo –

Martorell Martorell () is a municipality, county, and city that forms part of the Baix Llobregat Comarques of Catalonia, comarca, in Catalonia, Spain, primarily known for its medieval Pont del Diable, Devil's bridge. It lies at the confluence of the Llobr ...

* Aqüeducte de les Ferreres –

Tarragona Tarragona (, ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in Catalonia (Spain). It is the capital and largest town of Tarragonès county, the Camp de Tarragona region and the province of Tarragona. Geographically, it is located on the Costa Daurada ar ...

Switzerland

*Pont du Saut de Brot — * Teufelsbrücke – St Gotthard Pass * – Hamlet of ''Egg'', municipality of

Einsiedeln Einsiedeln () is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality and Districts of Switzerland#Schwyz, district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey, established in the 10th century. Histor ...

, canton of Schwyz *See W. Turner's etching: '' Little Devil's Bridge over the Russ, above Altdorft, Swiss.d''. The old bridge has collapsed.

United Kingdom

* Devil's Bridge (Pontarfynach),

Ceredigion Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the West Wales, west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the River Dyfi, Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire t ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

*Devil's Bridge – Kirkby Lonsdale,

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders to the north, Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire to the south-east, Lancash ...

*Devil's Bridge – Horace Farm, Pennington Parish, Cumbria *Devil's Bridge –

Weston-super-Mare Weston-super-Mare ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary district, in the county of Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. Its population ...

North Somerset North Somerset is a unitary authorities of England, unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. The council is based in Weston-super-Mare, the area's largest town. The district also contains the towns of Clevedon, Nailsea ...

(1841 bridge over railway) *Devil's Bridge – in the grounds of Weston Park,

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...

(18th-century listed bridge in form of grotto) *Devil's Bridge – Pontwalby, Glynneath,

*Devil's Bridge – Mossley Hill,

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

*Devil's Bridge – Worm's Head, Rhossili, Gower, Wales (a natural arch)

United States

* Devil's Bridge – Sedona, Arizona, although this is a naturally formed bridge, not a man-made stone bridge

Notes

{{Reflist European folklore Medieval architecture Bridges The Devil in legend