Pont del Diable facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pont del Diable(Devil's Bridge) |
|
|---|---|
_-_21.jpg)
Pont del Diable, with the Roman arch at left
|
|
| Crosses | Llobregat |
| Locale | Martorell-Castellbisbal, Catalonia, Spain |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Material | Stone |
| Longest span | 37.3 m |
| History | |
| Construction end | 1283 |
The Pont del Diable (which means Devil's Bridge in both Spanish and English) is also known as Sant Bartomeu Bridge. It is a historic bridge that crosses the Llobregat river. This bridge connects the towns of Martorell and Castellbisbal in Catalonia, Spain. Only people walking can use the bridge today.
The bridge you see now was rebuilt in 1965. It looks a lot like the old Gothic bridge that was built in 1283. That older bridge was actually built on top of even older Roman foundations! The main part of the bridge has a large pointed arch that spans 37.3 meters. There's even a small stone chapel built on top of it. Another smaller arch spans 19.1 meters.
Sadly, the bridge was destroyed in 1939 during the Spanish civil war. This was a big conflict in Spain where different groups fought for control of the country. Troops from one side, called the Republicans, destroyed the bridge as they were leaving the area. But don't worry, it was rebuilt in 1965 to look much like its original Gothic style. Today, the bridge is surrounded by modern roads and railway lines.
The very first bridge here was built by the ancient Romans. It was part of a very important Roman road called the Via Augusta. This road connected many cities across Spain. For a long time, until the 1300s, the Roman bridge was the only one crossing the lower Llobregat valley. You can still see a Roman triumphal arch on the eastern side of the bridge. This arch is a special gateway built by the Romans to celebrate victories. We don't know exactly how many arches the original Roman bridge had.
See also
In Spanish: Puente del Diablo (Martorell) para niños
- List of Roman bridges
