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The Saints’ Bridge over the Cosa torrent: A Thousand Years of History and Legends
In the heart of the Ernici Mountains, at the bottom of the Cosa torrent valley, an ancient stone bridge marks the place where two monastic communities used to meet a thousand years ago. The Ponte dei Santi (Saints’ Bridge) at Collepardo was built in the 10th century at the behest of St Dominic of Foligno, founder of the monasteries of San Domenico and San Nicola (St Nicholas) that still stand in the surrounding area. Here, on the principal feast days of the liturgical calendar, monks and nuns would descend from their respective monasteries to hear the sermons of their spiritual father.
The Miracle of the Waters
Legend has it that one day the roar of the torrent prevented the faithful from hearing the saint's words. Dominic raised his hand, and the waters fell silent for the entire duration of his discourse. A painting by Alessandro Romano, preserved in the area, depicts this scene and adds a second miracle: the saint halting a boulder plucked from the ground and hurled by the devil to prevent a massacre.
A Path Through Waterfalls and Gorges
Today the bridge is the end point of the Sentiero della Valle dei Santi, a trail of around 2 kilometres that follows the stream through small waterfalls, rocky walls, and natural arches carved by the water. From here the ascent begins towards the springs of Capo Fiume, in the wild Valle dell'Inferno. The path forms part of the Cammino di San Benedetto (the Way of Saint Benedict).
