Pont del Diable

The Pont del Diable, or Devil’s Bridge, crosses from Martorell to Castellbisbal in Catalonia, and its gravity defying structure has a surprising stabilizing device.

The bridge was originally built over the Llobregat River in 1283 over a former Roman bridge, the remains of which can still be seen around the current bridge, including a triumphal arch. If it doesn’t seem quite right for medieval times, the bridge was actually destroyed in 1939 during the Spanish Civil War and rebuilt in 1965. However, much of it is still the original stone.

It’s not clear where it gets its “Devil’s Bridge” title, although it’s likely due to its curious architecture that seems to not be built by human hands. However, it was, and just required a little ingenuity. The highest arch has an opening 145 feet high and is quite thin, but the little chapel-shaped building at the top is actually keeping it stable. It also was likely handy for once taking tolls between the two old towns.