Pont del Diable (Devil's Bridge) |
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Pont del Diable, with the Roman arch at left
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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 (Spanish: Puente del Diablo, English: Devil's bridge), also known as Sant Bartomeu Bridge, is a medieval bridge crossing the river Llobregat and straddling the municipalities of Martorell and Castellbisbal in Catalonia, Spain. The bridge is restricted to pedestrians.
The present bridge, featuring a large pointed arch, was constructed in 1283 on Roman foundations. The main clear span is 37.3 metres (122 ft) with a stone chapel on top. A secondary arch has a span of 19.1 metres (63 ft). The bridge was destroyed in 1939 during the Spanish civil war by retreating Republican troops, but rebuilt in 1965 in a form generally similar to the gothic structure. It is now surrounded on three sides by road flyovers and railway lines.
The original Roman bridge formed a part of the Via Augusta, and was the only bridge in the lower Llobregat valley until the 14th century. It still features a Roman triumphal arch at its eastern abutment. It is unclear how many spans the original Roman bridge had.
Coordinates: 41°28′30″N 1°56′17″E / 41.475°N 1.938°E