15 Aqueduct Of Segovia Facts To Know About The Roman Old Town

The Aqueduct Bridge of Segovia is located in Spain.

This ancient aqueduct is a very well preserved historic structure. It is also represented on the coat of arms of Segovia city.

The date of construction of the aqueduct of Segovia is under debate. The inscription is not legible. At first, it was thought that it was constructed around the first century AD. It was Emperors Domitian, Nerva, and Trajan's reign. Then it was found that emperor Domitian ordered it to be built in 89AD, and then it was actually completed in 98AD. The historians after studying further changed the date to 117 AD in the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Before the conquer of the Romans, the Arevaci people inhabited the place. In the mid-first century BC, an architecture book called 'De Architecture' written by Vitruvius was published.

At first, the water was gathered in a tank called El Caseronor the Big House. After that, it is led through the channel to a second tower called Casa de Aguas or Waterhouse. It naturally decanted there and sand settled there, after which the water continued its route. The water traveled on a grade which is an upward slope-like surface at 1%. Then it reached Postigo, which is the rocky crops on which the castle was situated. For the water to reach the old city, an aqueduct bridge is used. There is an abrupt turn from Plaza de Diaz and they turn toward Plaza Azaguejo. Brick-like granite blocks are used to build the aqueduct. There were three tall arches and each displayed a sign in bronze letters. It had the name of the builder along with the construction date. Only two niches are visible today on either side of the aqueduct. One of them used to have the image of Hercules and the other had the image of Saint Stephen. The image of Hercules is now replaced by an image of the Virgin Mary. The second image of Saint Stephen is lost.

Location Of The Aqueduct Of Segovia

The aqueduct of Segovia is situated in Spain in a town named Segovia. It has Roman origins. It is situated in Azeguajo square. There are single and double arches that are supported by pillars. It has 75 single arches and 44 double arches. If counted individually, there are 88 arches. Within the walled system of the city there was a water tank called castellum aquae. On the city's pavements, there is the main channel. The aqueduct is the most important landmark of Segovia city. It has been preserved through centuries and is in working condition. Segovia is located between Castile and Leon. The Segovia aqueduct is present on the Segovia's coat of arms. In the Iberian Peninsula, the Segovia aqueducts are present. It is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Segovia Aqueduct is built to transport water from the Rio Frio River to the walled city of Segovia. It is built upon the mountains which are 10.5 mi (17 km) away from the construction of the aqueduct. There was a distribution within the walled city of Segovia.

Segovia city is known for its blended culture and religions, and their harmonious coexistence. Alcazar is also one of the famous architecture apart from the Segovia aqueduct. Modern houses are built around architecture. The Real Casa de Monedahas an aqueduct interpretation center. It was funded by European EconomicArea grans for the Casa de Moneda is Segovia's former mint. The coins which are minted in Segovia, use the aqueduct as their mint. The aqueduct of Segovia harnessed water power to run the entire city. Jews, Moors, and Christian cultures have peacefully coexisted in this medieval city of Segovia since the 16th century. The Clamores and Eresma rivers are crowded together on them. The house promotes different cultures of the place throughout history. The cities all have a hint of old-world charm. The inner cities of Segovia received water through the aqueduct located on the Iberian Peninsula for centuries.

The architecture was built to transport water from the river Rio Frio to the walled city of Segovia. The river was situated 10.5 mi (17 km) away from the main city. The arches are the main attraction point for tourists. There are two levels of arches, the first block, and the second block.

What is special about the aqueduct of Segovia?

Until the mid 19th century, the aqueduct's function was to provide water to the central regions of Segovia. There was a decay of stone blocks, pollution, and water leakage, and it lost its functioning. It was listed in the Worlds monuments watch as a part of The World's Monument Fund in 2006. People believed that due to the vibrations of traffic, arches were affected, but that was not the case. The structure has a height of 93 ft (28.5 m), it is also 19.6 ft (6 m) deep in the main section. It is made of stone blocks and is fitted closely together with little or no mortar. According to the contours of the land, the arches are of alternate heights. There was a reconstruction of the structure in the 15th and 16th centuries. Until the 1900s there was no need for urgent conservation. It is a prominent monument in the Segovia landscape. The ministry of culture along with WMF Spain collaborated to implement the project. The first meeting was held in February 2006. A technical workshop was built in November 2009. They implemented a plan to protect the monument. In 2010 late winter, in New York City, at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute, the aqueduct was presented in, Treasures along the Route of Santiago de Compostela in Castile-León.

Local legends also called it 'Puente de Diable' or Devil's Bridge. The legends tell that Lucifer installed the bridge one night. He did it to win the soul of a young woman. The holes on the stones are called the fingermarks of Lucifer. The aqueduct contains 166 arches of stone that are not set with mortar or cement. The aqueducts are a part of the World Heritage Site. The aqueduct of Segovia was built by the Romans. Roman Emperors Vespasian or Nerva was responsible for building the Aqueduct. They were used as a water source for the city. There have been many seminars on maintaining and preserving the heritage site of Segovia. This was done to prevent unwanted intervention from foreign sources, and so that the managing controls stay with the government. The Department of Cultural Heritage is in charge of the municipal policies which look into safeguarding the site and also looking into the tourism policies. When tourists visit Segovia, they are amazed by its nature, culture, and gastronomy. This is a must-visit place for the people. Segovia has become a historic center and has many remarkable monuments. The aqueduct monuments represent simple architecture and show the changing history of Segovia throughout the years.

Three of the arches are taller than the rest of them. The name of the builder and the date of the construction is also inscribed in these three arches. On one niche of an arch is the name of Hercules. The other niche had the image of the Virgin Mary.

History Of The Aqueduct Of Segovia

Under the rule of the Roman Emperor, the aqueduct of Segovia was built. Water was supplied from the Frio River to the city.

During the rule of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the first reconstruction of the aqueduct took place. They were called the Catholic Monarchs. About 36 arches were rebuilt by Don Pedro Mesa a member of the monastery. Again in the 16th century, statues and central niches were placed in the structure. The aqueduct shows the political determination of armies as it survived centuries against armies. The aqueduct was built in medieval times. Acueducto de Segovia is the Sapnish name. The Roman troops settled in Segovia after defeating the ancient tribes which lived in the area. Many aqueducts were also built in different places across history and different cultures. The Spanish government has done its best to preserve one of the world's monuments from the Roman era. The Roman aqueduct was an inspiration to people from different cultures to build Roman aqueducts to provide water to inner cities from far away rivers. The World Monuments Fund preserve old architectural and historical structures. In the year 2006, The World Monuments Watch had listed the Segovia aqueduct under its watch to monitor and repair the deteriorating condition of the century-old architectural structure. The Spanish government is responsible for its upkeep. For maintenance purposes, in the 15th and 16th centuries, changes were made. The monument joins other world monuments as one of the World Heritage Sites.

Purpose Of The Aqueduct Of Segovia

The aqueduct of Segovia has a unique structure. It has withstood the vibration of traffic underneath it. It became a major tourist attraction in Spain. Its main purpose was to transfer water from the outskirts of the city to the city center. In the North-Western region of Spain, Segovia is situated. It is an autonomous region and is present between Leon and Castile. The regional government has taken the initiative regarding the cultural heritage of the Segovia aqueduct. The UNESCO World Heritage Site has also taken the responsibility for the Segovia aqueducts. The water was known to follow a subterranean route. This route has been marked on the pavements of the city.

The Roman structure of the Segovia aqueduct is known to stand on its own 2,000 years after its construction. It is one of the examples of the great engineering techniques of the medieval world. Segovia was ruled by the Romans, and the Romans were known to be great builders. People who visit the structure can walk underneath it, to see its beauty and structure. In recent times, due to the preservation methods implemented by the government, all vehicular traffic has been stopped below the structure. The Segovia aqueduct is called 'Acuducto de Segovia' in Spanish. The Aqueduct of Segovia is 19.6 ft (28.5 m) high at its highest point. The foundations of the aqueduct are 9.8 ft (3 m) tall at their highest point. In the 15th century, the first block of 36 sharp arches of the Aqueduct of Segovia was restored. There are about 20,400 blocks of stone in the Segovia aqueduct. Moreover, fresh water is carried from the river to the city. The river is situated in the mountains of Sierra de Guadarrama.

Monuments other than the Roman aqueduct represent the architectural sensibilities of Romans. Places like the Jewish quarter have retained their original narrow streets, decorations, and old style of paving. The authenticity of the monuments is the responsibility of the government, and their initiatives. The design and the form of the monuments are preserved to this date because of the technical and construction knowledge of the builders.