Nature per se is already responsible for giving us landscapes that seem straight out of fairy tales or that simply hide an ineffable geometry within them that we cannot understand and we only limit ourselves to appreciating its beauty. Perhaps this is why some of these landscapes have inspired human creations that further elevate the sublime charm of the panorama. Hidden in the Kromlauer Park in Germany, there is a place with these characteristics, the so-called Devil’s Bridge, which with its architecture that borders on perfection, generates a magical atmosphere.
The story behind the Devil’s Bridge
Known by locals as Rakotzbrücke, it is one of the most iconic bridges in the world, as its geometry is so exact that it forms a semicircle. The structure was built on Lake Rakotzsee from which it takes its name and is so peculiar that it has earned the nickname of the Devil’s Bridge, because the inhabitants of that region came to think that a work with such perfection could only have been built by the devil.
The story goes that in 1860 the gentleman from the local city had a bridge built across the lake, which is also a human creation, because although it looks like a natural watery body, the reality is that it is an artificial lake created in 1842. The knight ordered that beyond the functionality of the building, aesthetic characteristics be prioritized and this is why geometry is what is really important in the Devil’s Bridge.
Sturdily created from natural rocks that are stacked from one side of the lake to the other, the bridge is perfectly shaped and completes half a circle. But this geometry is not fortuitous, but was created in this way so that its reflection in it would create the illusion of a perfect circumference.
Geometry turned into landscape
The bridge lives within the nature of the Azalea and Rhododendron Park which is located in the city of Gablenz in the Görlitz district. The lake that runs through the middle of the park is quite large for being an artificial creation. It extends for at least 300 meters in length and has a width of 35 to 50 meters.
Right in the middle of the lake one can come across the Devil’s Bridge, which is supported by two rock pillars that were stacked to give the appearance of natural basalts. The curvature is very high and it is very difficult to cross, although it is currently prohibited to step on the bridge for fear that its aging structure will collapse.
But visitors do not miss the opportunity to admire one of the most magical landscapes in the world, because when the waters are calm and the light is adequate, you can photograph the circle formed by the bridge and its reflection in the water.