The Ponte della Maddalena,
also known as the Devil’s Bridge.
It is located in the Municipality of Borgo a Mozzano, in the Garfagnana (beautiful places, unfortunately little known, advertised and visited.).
A bold work with arches of particular charm, it was built or at least started by the Countess Matilda di Canossa in the 11th century, however what we see today is a 14th century reconstruction.
Like any self-respecting devil’s bridge, there is a legend that justifies the name: the master builder in charge of the construction of the bridge was late with the work, desperate for not being able to meet the delivery times, one evening he called on the devil to finish the operates on the same night.
Naturally the devil set his conditions, which the master builder accepted: it was a question of giving the devil the soul of whoever had passed first on the bridge.
The master builder accepted this wicked pact, but repenting immediately afterwards he asked the parish priest for advice who devised a stratagem: the first to cross, with the bridge erected, was a dog, an all-white Maremma shepherd.
The devil, disheartened, could not help but collect the deception: he took the dog and threw himself into the river.
It is said that in the last evenings of the months of October you can see this dog walking, now possessed by the devil, who is still looking for the soul of the unwary foreman.
Villanis Mario 