When you think of the top 10 castles that still stand after centuries, you probably picture stone walls, lofty towers, and brave knights. But what if some of those grand structures were actually forged with a little help from the Prince of Darkness? Below we explore ten infamous fortresses and bridges that folklore claims were erected by the Devil himself – a mix of stone, myth, and mischievous contracts.
10 Yester Castle: East Lothian, Scotland
Yester Castle, perched in East Lothian, Scotland, dates back to 1267 when Sir Hugo de Giffard, a notorious alchemist, commissioned its construction. According to legend, the castle’s completion was achieved with an army of goblins dispatched by the Devil himself.
Sir Hugo was a controversial figure, often rumored to be a sorcerer, which earned him the nickname “The Wizard of Yester.” Such a reputation makes the tale of demonic assistance all the more believable to the superstitious.
Much of the original fortress has crumbled, yet the Goblin Ha’—the hall where Sir Hugo allegedly performed his secret rites—still stands. Visitors report eerie sensations, and locals have sealed a stairway leading from the hall into the hills, believing it to be a gateway straight to hell.
9 Ponte Della Maddalena: Borgo a Mozzano, Italy
The Ponte della Maddalena spans the Serchio River in Borgo a Mozzano, Italy. While historians place its construction somewhere between 1046 and 1115, the exact date remains a mystery.
By the 14th century the bridge was already in use, though its original name has been lost to time. It only acquired its current dedication to Mary Magdalene after a chapel was erected nearby in the early 1500s.
Folklore tells that the bridge’s human architect, unable to meet a looming deadline, bargained with the Devil. The Devil agreed to finish the work in exchange for the soul of the first traveler to cross. A clever priest suggested sending a pig, which caused the Devil to plunge into the river in fury. An alternate version mentions a dog, whose spirit is said to roam the bridge on crisp October evenings, still searching for the poor soul it once replaced.
8 Monnow Bridge: Monmouth, Wales
Welsh folklore celebrates Jack o’ Kent, a trickster who repeatedly outwitted the Devil. In one tale, Jack offered the Devil a choice between the top or bottom of his sown crops; the Devil chose the top, only to discover turnips, and later chose the bottom, only to find wheat.
Another story recounts Jack striking a deal for the Devil to erect a bridge over the River Monnow in return for the soul of the first person to cross. The Devil complied, completing the bridge overnight.
When the Devil demanded Jack’s soul, the clever hero tossed a hungry dog across the bridge, sacrificing the animal instead. Even after death, Jack’s cunning persisted: he arranged his burial within a church wall, ensuring his remains were neither inside nor outside, thus frustrating the Devil’s claim.
7 Tarr Steps: Somerset, England
The Tarr Steps, a modest clapper bridge in Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England, is built from flat stone slabs laid across stepping stones, allowing passage over shallow water.
Its exact age is a mystery, with estimates ranging from 1000 BC to AD 1400. Legend claims the Devil constructed the bridge solely for sunbathing, never walking across it but simply lounging on the slabs to soak up the rays.
Superstitious villagers first tested the bridge by sending a cat, which vanished—some say torn apart by the Devil. A local parson later challenged the Devil’s right to the bridge; after a heated exchange, the Devil relented, permitting ordinary use, but warned never to cross while he was basking in the sun.
6 Devil’s Bridge: Ceredigion, Wales
This Devil’s Bridge comprises three successive arches, each built atop its predecessor, spanning the Afon Mynach in Ceredigion, Wales. The original stone span, perched in a narrow valley, seemed impossible for mortal hands.
While the exact construction date is unknown, evidence suggests monks from Strata Florida Abbey erected the first bridge in the mid‑1100s, earning it the nickname “Monk’s Bridge.” A second bridge appeared in 1753, and a third in 1901.
Local legend tells of an elderly woman named Megan who, desperate to rescue her cow from a raging flood, bargained with the Devil for a bridge. The Devil demanded the soul of the first human to cross, but Megan outsmarted him by tossing a piece of bread, prompting her dog to dash across first. The Devil, unimpressed, vanished.
5 Stone Bridge: Regensburg, Germany
The Stone Bridge in Regensburg stretches over the Danube and was erected between 1135 and 1146. Three fortified towers once guarded it; one was lost to ice in 1784, another damaged in 1810, leaving a solitary tower today.
According to legend, a rivalry brewed between the bridge’s builders and the nearby cathedral’s crew, each betting on who would finish first. When the cathedral team surged ahead, the bridge master struck a deal with the Devil, who promised to complete the bridge first in exchange for the souls of the first three beings to cross.
The cunning builder sent a dog and two chickens across, tricking the Devil. Enraged, the Devil attempted to demolish the bridge, leaving a dent, before leaping from a cathedral tower and meeting his own demise. The story underscores the timeless theme of outwitting the infernal.
4 Ponte Da Mizarela: Montalegre, Portugal
The Ponte da Mizarela, also called the Bridge of the Devil, arches over the Rio Rabagão near Montalegre, Portugal. Folklore says a fleeing criminal begged the Devil for a bridge after being trapped on the riverbank.
The Devil obliged, demanding the criminal’s soul. After the bridge materialized, the desperate man sought a priest’s help. The priest gave him holy water, which the criminal splashed on the bridge, reclaiming his soul and rendering the bridge permanent.
An alternate version claims the villagers built the bridge jointly, only for the Devil to destroy it twelve times, vowing it would never stand. When the priest instructed them to throw a loaf of bread onto the structure, divine power repelled the Devil, allowing the bridge to endure.
3 Mukachevo Castle: Palanok, Ukraine
Mukachevo Castle crowns Palanok in western Ukraine, its origins shrouded in medieval mystery. Between 1396 and 1414, Prince Fedor Koryatovich fortified the stronghold, yet a crucial well remained dry despite years of digging.
Desperate, the prince promised a bag of gold to anyone who could strike water. The Devil appeared, accepted the bargain, plunged into the well, and instantly produced a flowing spring. He then pledged to return in three days for his payment.
Lacking a full sack of gold, the prince consulted a wizard who suggested offering a tiny pouch of a few coins—meeting the Devil’s vague terms. Insulted, the Devil snarled and leapt back into the well, where he has allegedly haunted ever since, never daring to leave the darkness of the well for fear of further humiliation.
2 Teufelsbrucke: Schollenen Gorge, Switzerland
The Schöllenen Gorge, nestled in the Swiss canton of Uri, was a perilous passage long before the Devil’s involvement. Repeated attempts to build a crossing failed as mule‑loaded carts repeatedly plummeted from the cliffs.
Frustrated locals struck a pact with the Devil: he would construct the bridge in exchange for the soul of the first traveler. The Devil obliged, finishing the span overnight and waiting on the opposite bank.
A farmer, hoping to cheat the Devil, sent his goat first. The Devil seized the animal, tearing it apart, then carried a massive boulder up the slope in a fit of spite. An elderly woman, spotting the exhausted Devil, recognized his webbed feet as demonic. She crossed herself and the boulder with the sign of the cross, causing the stone to stick fast. Defeated, the Devil vanished, and the boulder remains known today as the Devil’s Stone.
1 Valentre Bridge: Cahors, France
The Valentre Bridge spans the Lot River at Cahors, France, its construction spanning 70 years from 1308 to 1378. Impatient with the slow progress, the chief builder summoned the Devil, promising his soul in return for accelerated work.
Near completion, the builder devised a final ruse: he ordered the Devil to fetch water using a sieve—a task impossible for any mortal, let alone a demon. Realizing the trick, the Devil grew furious and dispatched a demon to demolish the bridge, but the creature failed.
One tower’s upper corner sustained damage, remaining scarred until a major renovation in 1879. Architect Paul Gout commemorated the legend by installing a statue of a demon attempting to pilfer stones from the damaged section, ensuring that the tale of the Devil’s thwarted vengeance lives on for visitors today.
These ten haunting sites remind us that architecture can be as much about myth as masonry. Whether you’re a history buff, a thrill‑seeker, or simply love a good spooky story, the devilishly engineered castles and bridges on this list are sure to spark your imagination.