Have you seen beautiful pictures of a bridge reflecting in the water and creating a perfect circle? Did you look for the name only to find out it was called The Devil’s Bridge, and you aren’t sure why?
It’s a reasonable question. After all, how could something so stunning be associated with the devil?
Though it looks pretty at certain parts of the year, the Devil’s Bridge is incredibly dangerous to walk on.
Mixed with the spikes on either side, the ability to make this bridge without modern technology left many people feeling as if the bridge had to be the work of the devil himself.
Continue to read below to learn more about The Devil’s Bridge, including its actual name and why it came to be known for being a part of a deal with the devil.
What is the Name Origin of Devil’s Bridge in Germany?
In German, the name of this bridge is Rakotzbrücke. In English, we call it The Devil’s Bridge. This name came about due to how dangerous it is to actually use the bridge.
Though they are pretty, the walk across is considered so dangerous that people say only Satan himself could have designed them.
There are a couple of bridges with a similar design all around Europe, and almost all of them are considered to be some sort of devil work.
While this is likely not the case, and it is more of a beautify over functionality design, it still provides an interesting history. The bridge is designed to look like a perfect circle when its reflection is clear in the water.
As you can imagine, this makes the bridge rather steep. So while it isn’t usable, it sure looks cool.
Was the Devil’s Bridge in Germany Always Called Like This?
While The Devil’s Bridge was not its intended name, it was not long after being built that people started calling it this. The name grew more popular as people realized that the bridge was too dangerous.
It was common for bridges like this one to be associated with Satan. They were supposedly not possible to make and had an eerie aura around them that people found to not be pleasant.
Mixed with the unnaturally still water, dangerous path, and tall, foreboding spikes on either side, you can start to understand why people might associate the bridge with the devil.
Also, since people don’t understand the meaning behind the original name, Rakotzbrücke, it was easier to call it something easier to remember and that had more meaning.
How Did the Devil’s Bridge Get its Name?
The Devil’s Bridge earned its name due to the dangerous nature of the bridge. When people began dying on the bridge due to the dangerous structure, people said that only Satan could have created it.
The miraculous nature of the bridge being made in the first place also lends itself to the name.
The thought of making a bridge that was perfectly a half circle and having it stand for so long was not the technology we expected to be available when this bridge was created, much less the bridges that were made before it.
Additionally, the bridge seems to have eerie effects on the river. The bridge was designed to reflect a perfect circle when the water is still. However, under the bridge, it seems that the water is always still, reflecting the bridge most of the time.
Also, the eerie spikes on either side make the whole situation feel more ethereal and disturbing.
Is the Devil’s Bridge in Germany Called Like That In German As Well?
In Germany, the bridge is known as Rakotzbrücke. So while you might expect that this is some version of Devil’s Bridge, just in the original tongue, that isn’t the case.
While the “brücke” part of the name does mean bridge, the first part, “rakotz” doesn’t have a translation or even a meaning behind it. So no one is quite sure what the name behind this bridge means.
If it was to be called The Devil’s Bridge in German, it would likely be something close to Teufelbrucke. This is because “Teufel” is the German word for the Devil.
Why Is the Devil’s Bridge in Germany Still Called Like That?
The main reason the name hasn’t changed is that, since the bridge is unusable to keep people safe, it now serves as a bit of history and as the main art attraction at Kromlauer Park.
Changing the name now would lose some of that valuable history and uniqueness that the bridge possesses.
Not to mention that many people are still unsure how the bridge was built. While it certainly wasn’t the first of its kind, and bridges in the early 1000 A.D. era were made in a similar design, this one was much more modern, commissioned in 1860.
It took ten years to make. It also required tools and methods far outside of what was used during that time. Many people still find that they believe the builder must have had some darker help or made a deal with the devil to create The Devil’s Bridge.
For a long time, The Devil’s Bridge was relatively unknown outside of the local area until someone took a photo of the bridge and posted it on Instagram. From there, it has rapidly grown in popularity.
As a result, tourists from all over the world now come to visit The Devil’s Bridge.
Final Thoughts on the Name Origin of the Devil’s Bridge
Though Rakotzbrücke is a little out of the way, situated in Kromlau Park in Germany, it is well-known well thanks to Instagram. This bridge may seem pretty in pictures, but it is an eerie place with unnaturally still waters that make many people keep a wary eye around it.
And for a good reason, the bridge, somehow made without modern technology, is incredibly dangerous to walk on, and many people have gotten hurt.