Pont del Diable: Difference between revisions
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It was renovated in 1768 by military engineer [[Juan Martín Cermeño]]. In January 1939 the central arch was destroyed by the [[Spanish Republican Army]] in retreat, being rebuilt in 1963, keeping the Gothic structure of the reform of 1283.<ref name="pobles"/> |
It was renovated in 1768 by military engineer [[Juan Martín Cermeño]]. In January 1939 the central arch was destroyed by the [[Spanish Republican Army]] in retreat, being rebuilt in 1963, keeping the Gothic structure of the reform of 1283.<ref name="pobles"/> |
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===Legend=== |
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[[File:Charles Clifford - Catalonia - Devil's Bridge, Martorell - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|The Pont del Diable in a photo of [[Charles Clifford (photographer)|Charles Clifford]] (c. 1860-1861).]] |
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{{Quote | The legend of this bridge, tells the story of an elderly woman who every day had to cross the river to fetch water from the fountain that was on the other side. She was very old and was not for those walks. Jump from stone to stone, licking her feet had already brought more than a disappointment.<br/> |
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A morning when she was along the shore, about to cross river, it appeared the Devil, who was a merchant of care.<br/> |
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- What do you crossing the river in this way?! With my great power, I will make you dont have to ever cross over <br/> |
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-How? the old woman asked surprised.<br/> |
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Give me one night, and i build you the most beautiful bridge you've ever seen.<br/> |
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-Are you sure? she asked.<br/> |
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-Do you doubt my word? -the Devil replied- And not you will cost one real. I am content to stay with the soul of the first that cross the bridge. <br/> |
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<br/> The old woman, tired of having to cross the river every day accepted the deal.<br/> |
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The devil was working all night and when the first sunbeams blunted behind ''la Torre del Telègraf'' the great bridge was finished.<br/> |
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The Devil, hiding behind the arch of the bridge, on the other side, waited for the old woman came, to pass the bridge in search of water so he can keep her soul. But things did not go as he expected.<br/> |
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When the old woman came to the bridge, she pulled the apron from the basket that was carrying in her arm. From inside the basket came a black cat as coal, which scared started running bridge above.<br/> |
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And so, as from that day, the old and everyone can cross without fear the bridge while the Devil is watching us, could not do anything, with the soul of a cat.|La meravellosa història del Pont del Diable<ref>{{cite web|título=La maravillosa historia del Pont del Diable|url=http://www.lomography.es/magazine/locations/2012/03/12/la-maravillosa-historia-del-pont-del-diable|accessdate=August 7, 2013}}</ref> }} |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 21:24, 18 August 2016
Pont del Diable (Devil's Bridge) | |
|---|---|
_-_21.jpg?lang=en) Pont del Diable, with the Roman arch at left | |
| Coordinates | 41°28′30″N 1°56′16″E / 41.474981°N 1.93764°E |
| Crosses | Llobregat |
| Locale | Martorell-Castellbisbal, Catalonia, Spain |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Material | Stone |
| Longest span | 37.3 m |
| History | |
| Construction end | 1283 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Pont del Diable (Spanish: Puente del Diablo, English: Devil's bridge), also known as Sant Bartomeu Bridge,[1] is a medieval bridge crossing the river Llobregat and straddling the municipalities of Martorell and Castellbisbal in Catalonia, Spain. The bridge is restricted to pedestrians.
The present bridge, featuring a large pointed arch, was constructed in 1283 on Roman foundations. The main clear span is 37.3 metres (122 ft) with a stone chapel on top.[2][3] A secondary arch has a span of 19.1 metres (63 ft). The bridge was destroyed in 1939 during the Spanish civil war by retreating Republican troops, but rebuilt in 1965 in a form generally similar to the gothic structure.[2] It is now surrounded on three sides by road flyovers and railway lines.
The original Roman bridge formed a part of the Via Augusta, and was the only bridge in the lower Llobregat valley until the 14th century.[4] It still features a Gothic triumphal arch at its eastern abutment. It is unclear how many spans the original Roman bridge had.[2]
History
Of Roman origin, it was part of the Vía Augusta being built around 10 BC[5] to be traveled by ox-carts, with a 130 meters length,[5] with a wide, almost level road, as can see at the ends, and with a stack in the middle of riverbed.
Of the Roman times preserves the bridge's abutments, made with big ashlars, with inscriptions of the legions who worked (X Gemina, IV Macedonica and VI Victrix legions), and an honorific triumphal arch in the left margin, probably of 2nd century.[6]
The bridge was destroyed by the river, that removed the central stack, there was reconstruction being documented in year 1143.[5] Later it was rebuilt as a Gothic bridge with just one arch, work started in 1283 and finished around 1295,[5] under direction of Bernat Sellés, with two pointed arches, the larger 21 meters high and 43 wide,[6] to avoid the effect of the floods. The new profile and smaller width were no longer suitable for road traffic, but for transport with animals for cargo, more used in the Middle Ages.
It was renovated in 1768 by military engineer Juan Martín Cermeño. In January 1939 the central arch was destroyed by the Spanish Republican Army in retreat, being rebuilt in 1963, keeping the Gothic structure of the reform of 1283.[6]
Legend
The legend of this bridge, tells the story of an elderly woman who every day had to cross the river to fetch water from the fountain that was on the other side. She was very old and was not for those walks. Jump from stone to stone, licking her feet had already brought more than a disappointment.
A morning when she was along the shore, about to cross river, it appeared the Devil, who was a merchant of care.
- What do you crossing the river in this way?! With my great power, I will make you dont have to ever cross over
-How? the old woman asked surprised.
Give me one night, and i build you the most beautiful bridge you've ever seen.
-Are you sure? she asked.
-Do you doubt my word? -the Devil replied- And not you will cost one real. I am content to stay with the soul of the first that cross the bridge.
The old woman, tired of having to cross the river every day accepted the deal.
The devil was working all night and when the first sunbeams blunted behind la Torre del Telègraf the great bridge was finished.
The Devil, hiding behind the arch of the bridge, on the other side, waited for the old woman came, to pass the bridge in search of water so he can keep her soul. But things did not go as he expected.
When the old woman came to the bridge, she pulled the apron from the basket that was carrying in her arm. From inside the basket came a black cat as coal, which scared started running bridge above.
And so, as from that day, the old and everyone can cross without fear the bridge while the Devil is watching us, could not do anything, with the soul of a cat.
— La meravellosa història del Pont del Diable[7]
See also
References
- ^ "Devil's Bridge at Martorell". Structurae. 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2013-12-06.
- ^ a b c O’Connor 1993, pp. 102f.
- ^ Structurae notes 43 metres (141 ft), but does not specify whether the value refers to the clear span or the span between the centerline of the piers (Puente del Diablo (Martorell) at Structurae).
- ^ "Pont del Diable". Pobles de Catalunya. Retrieved 2013-12-06.
- ^ a b c d AURELIO ÁLVAREZ, JOSÉ LUIS PRADA, ÁFRICA PITARCH, JORGE GALINDO, EL PUENTE ROMANO (PONT DEL DIABLE) DE MARTORELL (BARCELONA)
- ^ a b c Pobles de Catalunya, Pont del Diable (Martorell - Baix Llobregat)
- ^ http://www.lomography.es/magazine/locations/2012/03/12/la-maravillosa-historia-del-pont-del-diable. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help); Unknown parameter|título=ignored (|title=suggested) (help)
Sources
- O’Connor, Colin (1993), Roman Bridges, Cambridge University Press, pp. 102f., ISBN 0-521-39326-4