Segovia’s Amazing Aqueduct

WE TEND to marvel at the accomplishments of modern man. Science and technology have created the marvels of space flight and have revealed the secrets of the atom. But if you want to be humbled, visit the ancient city of Segovia in Spain. As you drive toward the old city quarter, you are struck by a marvel of ancient architecture and engineering​—the aqueduct of Segovia. From ancient times it has brought water from the nearby Sierra Fuenfria mountains down to Segovia.

In the Plaza del Azoguejo, the aqueduct’s arches rise to a height of some 91 feet above the old market square. Since the aqueduct stretches over 1,000 yards across Segovia, its 166 arches form a delicate two-tiered design, like a curtain inviting you to pass through to old Segovia and see history unfurl before you. And the aqueduct is history​—built by the Romans, some say under Emperor Augustus (27 B.C.E.-14 C.E.), and others under Emperor Trajan (98-117 C.E.).

Modern architects are impressed by this structure and more so when they recall that the Romans constructed it without cement or lime. The stones were designed, cut, and placed so precisely that they have withstood the wear and tear of nearly 2,000 years, and the slender pillars stand as proudly as ever. The arches were built over a wooden frame, and then the keystone was put in place to lock the rest of the arch in position. Then the wooden frame was removed.

In the 17th century the aqueduct was given the name El Puente del Diablo (The Devil’s Bridge). What started that? One legend says that the Devil constructed the bridge and that he would confound anyone trying to count the arches. Even today there is some controversy as to the exact number of arches, since some may be hidden. The current count is 166.

The Romans were very conscious of the importance of a clean water supply for their cities. For example, ancient Rome was served by 11 major aqueducts supplying daily some 84,000,000 gallons of water, according to one source. A large portion of the route taken by these aqueducts was not in the form of a bridge but as tunnels cut through hills and mountains. The Romans were very skilled at lining up these tunnels with sufficient gradient for the water to flow. They also built shafts to prevent air locks and to allow for inspection and maintenance.

Even today, spread across Europe, “it is likely that the remains of more than 200 of these old Roman aqueducts​—many with arches more striking than those around Rome—​are extant.” (The New Encyclopædia Britannica) And one of those is the amazing aqueduct of Segovia.

[Pictures on page 23]

The aqueduct, built without mortar, has 166 arches

Partial view from within the city

It was built by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago