Ponte del Diavolo

The Ponte del Diavolo spans the Natisone gorge at Cividale del Friuli with two unequal arches. Its familiar silhouette combines the memory of a medieval stone bridge with a major reconstruction during the First World War.

Why it matters

The crossing linked the town's two banks and formed an important part of its commercial and civic life. Its destruction during the retreat following Caporetto in 1917, and rapid rebuilding in 1918, connect a local landmark with the wider history of the war.

What to notice

The central pier rests on a natural boulder in the river, helping explain the unequal spans. The arches and the rock-sided gorge give the crossing its distinctive relationship with the landscape. The apparent continuity of the outline should not obscure the reconstructed fabric.

Context and history

A wooden predecessor was followed by stone construction begun in the fifteenth century. The bridge was destroyed on 27 October 1917 and its replacement inaugurated on 18 May 1918, using earlier surveys by Ernesto de Paciani. The devil legend tells of a bargain for the soul of the first being to cross, defeated when an animal was sent ahead of the townspeople.