The 'Ponte dei Salti' stone bridge soars over the turquoise Verzasca with two arches. 400 years after its completion, is draws visitors in droves on a daily basis. Some photograph the picture-perfect subject from all sides, others use the bridge as a springboard for diving into the refreshing water.
Anyone driving on the narrow road which meanders along the green Verzasca valley cannot miss the stone bridge at Lavertezzo: with its two arches and the elegant curvature, the 'Ponte dei Salti' makes an exciting contrast to the otherwise rather wild nature of the valley and offers the multitudes of visitors from around the world a picture-perfect subject for their holiday photo album.
While some start on the various hiking routes from here, others enjoy the picturesque bathing site. They leap from the medieval double arch bridge into the turquoise waters of the Verzasca and then lie on a stone in the sun. Anyone who wants to embellish their bathing trip with a little more history can find another architectural gem in Lavertezzo: the 'Beata Vergine degli Angeli' church.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.