The Devil's Bridge in Civita, Calabria, stands suspended at a height of 260 meters over the lower part of the Raganello stream. It is a bridge built with a single arch "donkey-back" style, used as a connection between the upper Ionian and the mountains of the Pollino range and for observation.
Already in Roman times, the place where the current bridge stands was used to cross the Acalandros, the Raganello. Over the centuries, the structure has undergone numerous restoration interventions, as well as complete reconstruction following earthquakes that destroyed it.
The name derives from a legend according to which a landowner asked the Devil to build a bridge over the stream. The Devil agreed and built the bridge in one night, asking in return for the soul of the first human to cross it. Once the bridge was erected, the man made a sheep cross it. The Devil, feeling deceived, then tried to destroy it but failed because his own work was so perfect that it could not be destroyed even by him.
There are many legends related to this type of construction, all telling very similar stories to emphasize the architectural ingenuity behind the construction.
A little curiosity: there are other "Devil's Bridges" in Italy in Lucca, Cividale del Friuli (UD), Bobbio (PC), Torcello (VE), Lanzo (TO).
Other places to explore:
- Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Armi - Cerchiara di Calabria
- Greek-Byzantine Rite Church of San Giovanni - Acquaformosa
- Museum of Icons and Byzantine Tradition - Frascineto
