Pont del Diable (Martorell)

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The Pont del Diable in winter 2006

The Pont del Diable , Spanish Puente del Diablo ('Devil's Bridge'), also called Pont de Sant Bertomeu ('Bridge of Saint Bartholomew'), is a medieval bridge over the Llobregat river between Martorell and Castellbisbal ( Catalonia , Spain ), which on The foundations of an earlier Roman bridge rests. The Devil's Bridge , built in 1283, was one of the largest bridges of its time with a clear span of 37.3 meters.

History of the bridge

A first Roman bridge was built on this site around 10 BC. The Via Augusta from Barcino (Barcelona) led in the direction of Tarraco (Tarragona) over the Llobregat. Their exact shape and the number of their arches are unknown. A triumphal arch from Roman times, which marked the eastern access to the bridge and originally looked similar to the somewhat larger Arc de Berà (also located on Via Augusta ) , is still preserved in its basic structure . In addition, there was presumably a similar triumphal arch on the west bank, but it has not been preserved. This bridge was the only one over the Llobregat in its entire lower course until the end of the 14th century.

View of the Pont del Diable

Today's bridge with a large pointed arch in the center was built in 1283 under the direction of Bernat Sellés on the Roman foundations in the Gothic style, some of the stones from the old bridge were reused. The clear span of the arch is an impressive 37.30 meters, its height 21 meters. The middle of the bridge is crowned by an archway to which the path climbs up stairs from both sides.

The Devil's Bridge was declared a historical monument in 1931 and extensively restored in 1933, but was blown up by republican troops in retreat six years later in the Spanish Civil War . In 1963 the bridge was rebuilt in its old form. It is only open to pedestrian traffic.

See also

Other very large medieval arch bridges:

Web links

Commons : Pont del Diable (Martorell)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c d Colin O'Connor: Roman Bridges . Cambridge University Press, 1993, ISBN 0-521-39326-4 , pp. 102 f.
  2. ↑ a b The Structurae online database mentions 43 meters, but does not indicate whether the clear span or the span between the center lines of the pillars is meant. ( Pont del Diable (Martorell). In: Structurae ).
  3. ↑ Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana . Enciclopèdia Catalana SA, Barcelona 2003, Vol. 9, p. 118.

Coordinates: 41 ° 28 ′ 30 ″  N , 1 ° 56 ′ 15.6 ″  E