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What Is an Aqueduct, and What Does It Carry?
An aqueduct is a structure that carries water from one place to another. Aqueducts have been around for centuries and used by many different civilizations. An aqueduct is not just a channel that carries water over land without the use of pumps – it also includes other parts such as canals, tunnels and bridges. They can be made of a single pipe or a series of pipes.
It is not just the function of an aqueduct that impresses modern historians, engineers, and tourists to this day; it is also its beautiful design and towering size, as can still be seen both in Rome, France, Spain, and elsewhere in the world.
Etymology
The word aqueduct is derived from the Latin word “aqua” meaning water, and “ducere” meaning to lead or conduct. Aqueducts, or aquaducts, are usually constructed of stone, brick, concrete or metal.
Some aqueducts carry fresh water, while others carry salt water or sewage. Some aqueducts also serve as bridges or viaducts, making them even more unique.
Roman Aqueducts
The Roman aqueduct was a water supply system built to carry water from a distance into Rome. Roman aqueducts were built to provide drinking water, as well as fresh water for public baths and houses.
The aqueducts were constructed with stone or concrete-lined channels, sometimes covered with brick or wood. The Romans were the first to use lead pipes, which allowed them to build longer aqueducts than previous civilizations. They were also the first civilization to use underground canals, which they dug to reduce the risk of pollution.
The city of Rome eventually had 11 aqueduct systems that sometimes stretched as far as 130 kilometers away from the city, and were as high as 50 meters.
The following is an overview of some of the most famous Roman aqueducts.
Aqueduct of Segovia
The Aqueduct of Segovia is a popular example of an ancient Roman aqueduct. Located in the Spanish region of Castile and León, it was built in the first century AD.
The aqueduct is the most important part of the water supply infrastructure in Segovia. It was built to bring water from the Rio Frio River to this city and provide its residents with water for drinking, cooking and other domestic uses.
The parts of the aqueduct that are above ground have a length of 728 meters and include 165 arches that span valleys and hillsides. The construction forms an aqueduct that Segovia’s citizens can still be proud of, and a magnificent sight that the city’s tourists can enjoy.
Pont du Gard
The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct in France. It is located in the southern part of the country, approximately 25 km northeast of Avignon.
The Pont du Gard Aqueduct was built as part of a 50 km long aqueduct that carried water from the springs at Uzes to the Roman colony of Nîmes. Spanning the Gardon River near Uzès, the Aqueduct Bridge has been classified as a World Heritage Site since 1985 due to its historical significance.
The construction is colossal, and an aqueduct France includes in its cultural heritage.
Aqua Virgo
Aqua Virgo was an important aqueduct in Rome. It was built in 19 BC by Agrippa and his son Lucius to provide fresh water to the city. The aqueduct ran from a spring at the foot of Mount Algidus to Rome. Aqua Virgo supplied water to public baths, latrines and homes outside the city walls on the Janiculum Hill.
It also supplied public fountains inside the Porta Sanqualis, now called the Porta Maggiore, and was an aqueduct from which Rome obtained its necessary access to water.
Aqua Claudia
Aqua Claudia was built to provide a clean water supply to the citizens of Rome. It is considered one of ancient Rome’s most impressive feats of engineering and architecture.
Aqua Appia
The Aqua Appia was the first aqueduct in Rome, and therefore one of the most famous. It was built by Appius Claudius Caecus, a censor and consul in 312 BC. The aqueduct was created to provide Rome with a steady supply of water and to reduce the risk of water shortages.
Aqueduct of Valens
The Valens Aqueduct was the only water supply to Istanbul for over a thousand years and was built by Emperor Valens in 373 AD. The aqueduct starts from a spring in the Çamlıca Valley, just east of Istanbul, and ends at a lake called Lake Yenişehir. The visible length of the aqueduct is 971 meters.