Three Weeks in Tuscany (day 11)

Barga is a marvelous medieval fortress town that has roots going back to the 9th Century. It is the chief town of the mid-valley of the Serchio River and located about 22 miles north of the provincial capital, Lucca.  Positioned on the Gothic Line in World War II, it was a major military objective as the allied forces moved north against the German army. Bring your walking shoes, as the alleys and walkways are quite steep and challenging. But, the charm and sites are well worth it.Rich Smukler currently resides in Boca Raton, Florida. His works have been featured in numerous museums, galleries and private collections internationally. You can see more of his works at http://www.richsmuklerphoto.com. (Kick back and stay awhile).

Three Weeks in Tuscany (day 7)

To finish off the first week, we travel south of Ponte A Serraglio about three miles towards Lucca. The Maddalena’s Bridge, also known as The Devil’s Bridge, connects the two banks of the river Serchio at the height of Borgo a Mozzano. Its construction goes back to  (1046-1115) and later reconstructed (1281-1328). It’s interesting design nearly stopped me in my tracks!

“Devil’s Bridge is a term applied to dozens of ancient bridges, found primarily in Europe. Most of these bridges are stone or masonry arch bridges and represent a significant technological achievement. Each of the Devil’s Bridges has a corresponding Devil-related myth or folktale.

Local lore often wrongly attributes these bridges to the Roman era, but in fact many of them are medieval, having been built between 1000 and 1600 AD. In medieval times some Roman roads were themselves considered beyond human capabilities and needs, and therefore had to have been built by the devil.” wikipedia

Rich Smukler currently resides in Boca Raton, Florida. His works have been featured in numerous museums, galleries and private collections internationally. You can see more of his works at http://www.richsmuklerphoto.com. (Kick back and stay awhile).