An illustration of the original Devil's Bridge.
The Devil's Bridge is an ancient bridge that, as obvious by the name, is said to have been built by the Devil himself.
There are other similar bridges, and some are stone or masonry arch bridges and represent a significant technological achievement. Local lore often wrongly attributes the bridge to the Roman era, but in fact it is medieval, having been built between 1000 and 1600 AD.
One account of the origins behind the bridge is where an old lady or a simple herder who summons and makes a pact with the Devil. In this version the devil agrees to build the bridge, and in return he will receive the first soul to cross it. After building the bridge (often overnight) the devil is outwitted by his adversary, for example by throwing bread to lure a dog over the bridge first, and is last seen descending into the water, bringing peace to the community.
Another legend speaks of the devil helping in a race between the builders of the bridge and of the cathedral (in fact a significantly later construction), and a slight bump in the middle of the bridge is said to result from the devil's leaping with rage upon being tricked out of his prize.
A third legend speaks of the carpenter having a pact with the devil, and he promised him the first soul crossing the bridge. On the day of inauguration, while the priest and county Councillor debated who should step on the bridge first, a rabbit crossed it and the disappointed devil disappeared. A statue refers to the legend there.