The history of Devil's Bridge


About half of the Valley watered by the river Serchio, there is the small town of Borgo a Mozzano, built in the Middleage by some noble lombard families like the Suffredinghi, that dominated the area from the castle of Mozzano, later destroyed by Lucca in 1227 to get control of an important territory. Infact, the viability of the Valley, in the Middleage, had its own nodal point exactly in the bridge called "Ponte della Maddalena", a medieval marvel that still makes unique that landscape. It's a long bridge made similar to “donkeyback”, with the highest point in the center and descending sides. This bridge has a special feature: the central arch is very high and defies gravity while the side arches are smaller and asymmetric, giving it an apparently precarious profile, that aroused the wonder of contemporary and also even today visitors. It seems impossible that such a unique structure was made by human and to explain it, was born the legend: the master-mason, became aware of not being able to complete the work in time for the scheduled date, and in charge of building the bridge, he decided to make a pact with the Devil, that would end the bridge in only one night in exchange for the one's soul who would cross for first the bridge. After accepting, the man went to confession to the priest who, as well as man of the church, was fortunately also very shrewd and devised a stratagem! You can only imagine the Devil's face that in the next morning, as he was looking forward to take a soul to hell, saw the bridge crossed first...by a dog! The poor beast ran on the bridge, chasing a cake launched by the mason. The Prince of Darkness, plunged into the river and disappeared forever but the legend and the name remained in what is still called the "Devil's Bridge".

The skeptics who don't believe in supernatural presences, won't be disappointed by the story that sees linked to the bridge also two important figures of the Middleage: the tradition wants it built by Matilde di Canossa, the woman that shooked the medieval world for pacifying the Pope and the Emperor! The Emperor came to the castle of Canossa to ask forgiveness from the Pope, as a guest of Matilda. Later the bridge was restored by Castruccio Castracani, who became one of the strongest leaders of the time after the exile from Lucca and went back to his city, freeing it from Pisa's domination and becoming the strongest leader of Tuscany, arousing the admiration of Niccolo Machiavelli! Don't miss this magnific bridge suspended between history and legend! Let's begin our bike tour of Garfagnana!