2,000-year-old giant aqueduct built without mortar

Segovia Aqueduct in Spain. Photo: SeanPavonePhoto/Fotolia.

The Segovia Aqueduct is a classic example of Roman water transport architecture – simple in design, yet magnificent and surprisingly durable. It was built to carry water from the Frío River, 17 km away, to the city, and has been doing so for 2,000 years. Even more impressive, the aqueduct was built without a single gram of mortar.

The city of Segovia is located about 100 km northwest of Madrid, Spain. Originally a Celtic settlement, it fell to the Romans around 80 BC. Under the Romans, Segovia grew to become an important town in the region of Hispania (today's Iberian Peninsula).

The Segovia Aqueduct, built of granite blocks stacked without mortar and without a frame, was built in the late 1st or early 2nd century. Scientists are not sure exactly because the inscriptions on the aqueduct's stones, which would have given a specific date, have been eroded. Archaeological evidence suggests that it was built in the early 2nd century, during the reign of the Roman emperors Trajan or Hadrian.

Taking advantage of the natural elevation, water from the mountain is channeled through an underground channel to a large reservoir called El Caserón. From there, the water continues to a tower called Casa de Aguas, where it is naturally filtered and sand is deposited before the water continues its journey, traveling another 728 meters over an elevated aqueduct to the Plaza de Díaz Sanz.

With its towering double arches supported by massive stone columns, the Segovia Aqueduct is impressive. The construction of the bridge without mortar may have stemmed from a shortage of limestone for cement production in the area. However, the lack of cement may have contributed to its longevity, as it made the bridge flexible enough to survive minor earthquakes.

Some 20,400 granite blocks were used to build the Segovia Aqueduct. The largest of these weighed 2 tons, with 1-ton blocks being more common. They were hoisted nearly 30 meters up with the help of wooden cranes, evidenced by holes in the stone. The rounded edges of the blocks are partly original, partly due to the weathering of the relatively soft granite over time.

The Segovia Aqueduct did not survive the 2,000 years it took to survive. In the 11th century, an invasion by Yahya ibn Ismail Al-Mamun, ruler of the Taifa of Toledo, destroyed some 36 of its stone arches. Some of the fallen stones were later used to rebuild the castle of King Alfonso VI. In the 15th century, the damaged sections were carefully rebuilt so as not to alter the original form. In the early 19th century, all buildings adjacent to the aqueduct were demolished to make repairs easier and to increase structural integrity.

Although considered one of the best preserved Roman aqueducts, the Segovia Aqueduct is no longer in good working order. Erosion and decay cause water to leak from the viaduct above, and pollution from cars has caused the granite blocks to deteriorate and crack.

Source Thu Thao/VNE (Amusing Planet)

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