Is this bridge truly paved with sinister intentions? Before you stands the Ponte del Diavolo, or Devil’s Bridge. Unlike most Venetian bridges, it stands bare, devoid of railings or embellishments. Its simplicity is almost…unsettling. The Ponte del Diavolo wasn’t always its name. Some whisper it earned its moniker from a local family – the Diavolis. But a darker legend speaks of a love story, a tragedy, and a pact with the devil. They say a Venetian noblewoman fell deeply in love with an Austrian officer during the time of Habsburg rule. Such a romance was forbidden. Her family, shamed, cast her out, while her beloved met an untimely end, found stabbed to death. The young woman, heartbroken, sought solace in the promises of a friend who claimed to know a way to reunite them. He turned to a powerful witch who could summon the devil himself. On Christmas Eve, when benevolent spirits were otherwise occupied, the witch stood on this very bridge and called forth the devil. In exchange for the souls of seven unbaptized children, the devil granted her the keys to time and space. He tossed them into the water, and right here, before your eyes, the Austrian officer materialized. The lovers were reunited, disappearing into a different dimension to live out their love story. However, the witch perished in a fire, unable to fulfill her end of the bargain. Now, every Christmas Eve, the devil returns to the Ponte del Diavolo. Keep a lookout for a sleek black cat. It’s said he’s still seeking those seven souls.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to