In Zoroastrianism, the soul must cross the Chinvat Bridge after death to reach its final destination. The name is often translated as the “Bridge of the Judge” or “Bridge of Judgment.”
Zoroastrian tradition describes a judgment after death in which a person’s thoughts, words, and deeds are assessed. The bridge is said to appear broad to the righteous and narrow to the wicked. A righteous soul crosses toward the House of Song, while an evil soul falls toward the House of Lies.
The bridge is connected with ethical responsibility, a central feature of Zoroastrian teaching. The religion’s moral formula—good thoughts, good words, and good deeds—summarizes the conduct expected of believers.
Zoroastrian eschatology also includes a final renovation of existence, known as Frashokereti, when evil is ultimately defeated and creation is restored. Thus, the Chinvat Bridge concerns the soul’s postmortem judgment, not the entire end-time transformation described in later teachings.