The city of Venice has a long tradition of legends, bridges and small islands. The legend of the Devil’s Bridge has all these ingredients.

The Devil’s bridge connects Venice to Torcello, a small island of the north lagoon. The name has unknown origins, because many historic sources are missing, so there are many legends related to the name.

The most famous legend tells about a young Venetian girl who fell in love with an official of the enemy army during the Austrian invasion. The family was against the union and they worked hard in order to impede their love. When she got the news of his lover’s murder by an unknown assassin, she stopped to eat because of the pain. The miserable conditions of the young girl convinced a family friend to intervene: he suggested that she went to a witch. The witch pledged a pact with the Devil: the lost love in exchange for seven souls of Christian children who died prematurely. The exchange took place at the Devil’s bridge the night of 24 December. The lovers got together and the witch obtained the payment for the Devil, who waited in vain for her. It is said that the witch died in a fire or because of a young man who wanted to save the children’s souls. Since then every 24 December the Devil shows up at the Devil’s bridge in the form of a black cat in order to collect his payment.

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