The Rakotzbrücke or Devil's Bridge

DATE: 4th March 2025

COMMENTS/HISTORY: 

COMMENT

Be prepared for a "scenic" drive to reach the Rakotzbrücke or Devil's Bridge! I drove to the bridge from Prague and it took the best part of 2.5 hours with no appreciable traffic hold-up - some 230 kilometres.

The bridge is located within a very nice woodland/gardens setting named the Rhododendron Gardens, (Kromlauer Park), and is ideal for dog walking. There is a huge car park for both cars and coaches and the car parks fees are very reasonable. The car parking ticket dispenser that I used, accepted payment by card.

I visited the bridge around lunchtime on a Tuesday morning at the beginning of March and it was very, very quiet. I can imagine that during weekends, holidays and seasons such as Autumn, when the leaves are turning on the trees, the park and pathways around the lake which the bridge spans, can get very busy. I went specifically to photograph the bridge and the surrounding area and so I was of course pleased about the lack of other visitors.

The bridge has recently undergone refurbishment and the lake that was drained for hit purpose, has now been refilled. 

I would like to say that the a visit to the Rakotzbrücke or Devil's Bridge, and the surrounding woodland and gardens is definitely worth the trip. My only disappointment was that because there was thin layer of ice across the lake, I was unable to photograph the bridge and its reflection which forms a perfect circle. 

One final note, and that is to preserve the bridge, visitors are not allowed to walk across the same. However, walking around the lake, allows for viewing the bridge from many different angles. Access to the park and bridge is 24 hour.

HISTORY

The Rakotzbrücke, also known as the Devil’s Bridge, is a stunning 19th-century bridge located in Kromlau, Germany. It was commissioned in 1860 by Friedrich Hermann Rötschke, a local knight, and constructed using carefully arranged basalt stones. The bridge is famous for its near-perfect semicircular arch, which, when reflected in the water below, creates a complete circle.

The name “Devil’s Bridge” comes from European folklore, where bridges with seemingly impossible architecture were often attributed to supernatural help. Legend says the builder struck a deal with the devil, who demanded the soul of the first to cross it as payment.

Today, Rakotzbrücke is a popular tourist attraction within Kromlauer Park, but walking on it is prohibited to preserve its structure. Its eerie beauty and picturesque setting make it one of Germany’s most photographed landmarks.