From
Wikipedia:
First bridge
The Schöllenen Gorge (Schöllenenschlucht) is an important access
route to the St. Gotthard Pass. However, the valley is very
narrow, featuring the dangerous river Reuss. The first bridge
across the river was built in 1230. This was a wooden bridge and
had to be replaced often owing to weather damage.
In the 16th century, the bridge was rebuilt in stone. In 1799,
this bridge witnessed one of the most dramatic battles of
Suvorov's Italian and Swiss expedition which took place during
the Napoleonic Wars. During this battle the bridge was heavily
damaged by the retreating French army. As a result, trade with
Italy took place over the Splügenpass instead.
The first bridge was completely destroyed during a storm in
1888.
Second
bridge
Only in 1820 could the order to build a new bridge be given. The
construction of the bridge took 10 years.
Third
bridge
By the middle of the 20th century, the second bridge was no
longer able to handle the volume of traffic it received. A
concrete bridge, featuring two lanes (one for each direction)
was built in 1958 to accommodate heavier flow. However, the
majority of traffic requiring passage between Airolo and
Göschenen travels via either the Gotthard Rail Tunnel or the
Gotthard Road Tunnel.
Myth of the creation of
the bridge
The Devil's Stone near Göschenen.
According to a local myth, building the first bridge was very
hard and so the Devil himself agreed to build it. The condition
attached to the construction was that the Devil would get the
soul of the first to pass over the bridge. So, when the bridge
was finished, people chased a goat over the bridge. Angered by
the trick, the Devil went to pick up a large stone (called
Teufelsstein, the Devil's Stone) in order to smash the bridge to
pieces. On his way to the bridge however, he encountered an old
believing woman with a cross. Scared of the cross, he left the
stone and fled.
The devil's stone weighs 220 tons and stands near Göschenen. In
1977, the stone was moved 127 meters to make way for the new
motorway passing over the St.Gotthard Pass, at a cost of 300,000
Swiss Francs.
Popular belief has it that the moving of the stone was the cause
of an increased number of accidents on kilometre 16 on the St.
Gotthard road tunnel.
One other version of the tale
presents the bridge builder and the Devil as adversaries. This
reflects the fact that frequently, such as in the case of the
Teufelsbrücke at the St. Gotthard Pass, these bridges were built
under such challenging conditions that successful completion of
the bridge required a heroic effort on the part of the builders
and the community, ensuring its legendary status.
Postcard showing the first
and second bridge (before 1888):
The Image below shows the old
(second bridge) and new 3rd bridge today:
