Devils Bridge

The legend of the Devil's Bridge

A large rock above Göschenen blocked access to the Gotthard area and thus hindered the transition to the south. Building a bridge here turned out to be very difficult.

The Urners tried to open a mule track in the narrow Schöllenen Gorge and to build a stone bridge where the young river Reuss crossed the vertical point. So the head of the community shouted desperately: “Let the devil build a bridge there!” He promptly appeared and said: “I want to build a bridge for you."

The people of Uri agreed to the deal. Three days later a bridge actually arched over the Reuss. The demon sat on the other side, waiting for his reward. Instead of the promised human sacrifice, the Urners sent a billy goat. "You can keep it," they shouted, "here you have the first soul to cross the bridge!"

In his anger the devil tore the billy goat apart and took a huge stone with which he wanted to destroy the bridge again. An old woman crossed the path, recognized the devil and carved a cross in the stone. The devil noticed this and missed his target. The stone fell into the valley not far from Göschenen and has been there ever since.