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A visit to Bagni di Lucca would not be complete without visiting The Ponte Della Maddalena. Everyone who comes to visit always asks for some history of the bridge so here it is.
Make sure when staying at tuscanrooms you make time to visit this bridge and see the stunning view from the top.
Ponte della Maddalena (Italian: “Bridge of Mary Magdalene”) is a bridge crossing the Serchio river near the town of Borgo a Mozzano in the Italian province of Lucca.[1][2] One of numerous medieval bridges known as Ponte del Diavolo, the “Bridge of the Devil“, it was a vital river crossing on the Via Francigena, an early medieval road to Romefor those coming from France that was an important medieval pilgrimage route.
The bridge is a remarkable example of medieval engineering, probably commissioned by the Countess Matilda of Tuscany c. 1080-1100. It was renovated c. 1300 under the direction of Castruccio Castracani. The largest span is 37.8 m. The bridge is also described in a 14th-century novella by Giovanni Sercambi of Lucca.
Circa 1500 it took on the name of Ponte della Maddalena, from an oratory dedicated to Mary Magdalene, whose statue stood at the foot of the bridge on the eastern bank.
In 1670 the General Council of the Republic of Lucca issued a decree prohibiting passage over the bridge with millstones (ceppi) and sacks of flour in order to preserve the structure.