The Devil's Bridge (Ponte del Diavolo) or Ponte della Maddalena is an impressive medieval structure that crosses the river Serchio few hundred metres after passing Borgo a Mozzano coming from Lucca along State Road 12 of Abetone and Brennero towards the Garfagnana. The bridge is walking, you should park in the parking lot along State Road 12 of Abetone and Brennero, right in front of a restaurant, and from there walk across the bridge. 

The Devil's Bridge is the main attraction of Borgo a Mozzano and is a beautiful medieval bridge consists of majestic arches, built probably at the behest of the Countess Matilde di Canossa (11th century), it was redesigned and renovated by Castruccio Castracani in fourteenth century, the first written evidence on the bridge come from a novel of the fourteenth century by Giovanni Sercambi. 

The name of bridge "della Maddalena" seems resulting from the presence, in the sixteenth century, of a shrine that stood nearby, with a statue of the saint (Mary Magdalene), who is now in the parish of San Jacopo. While the other name by which the bridge is known, "Devil's Bridge " is due to a legend, which explains the popular imagination as the work is not human, the wonder of a building so magnificent, it is said that during the construction of bridge, it was realized that it was impossible to meet deadlines for the conclusion of the work, then the foreman decided to come to terms with the devil, the devil would have completed the task provided to take the first soul that would cross the bridge, the following night the devil finished the bridge with the great arch that now characterizes it, but the legend has a happy ending, because the foreman was able to mock the devil by crossing, first, the bridge to a pig, which provoked the flight of the devil and the happy ending of the legend. 

Today the bridge is presented altered from its original structure, in fact in the early '900 was opened a new arc on the right side of the bridge, to allow the passage of the railway line for the Garfagnana. 

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Ponte del Diavolo (Devil's Bridge) or della Maddalena, Borgo a Mozzano, Lucca

Ponte del Diavolo (Devil's Bridge) or della Maddalena, Borgo a Mozzano, Lucca