Ponte della Madonna

The "Ponte della Madonna" (St. Mary's Bridge) spans the stream Turrite just outside the town centre of Castelnuovo Garfagnana, in the district "alla Barchetta". It is a sandstone footbridge with two round arches and a V-shaped cutwater placed around the central pier. According to tradition and to the "Descrizione Geografica, Storica, Economica della Garfagnana" (Geographic, historical and economic description of Garfagnana) by Raffaello Raffaelli, the bridge was build under the initiative of Borso d'Este in 1453. Blown up by the Germans in their retreat of 1945, the bridge was re-constructed in the post-war period.