Aqueduct of Segovia

Aqueduct de Segovia – Important & Well Preserved Roman Aqueduct

The Aqueduct de Segovia or the aqueduct bridge is a Roman aqueduct and also one of the most important and best preserved ancient monuments remaining on the Iberian Peninsula. It is situated in Spain and is the primary symbol of Segovia with its presence on the city’s emblem. This ancient Roman aqueduct in Segovia is not considered as a religious site but it is an amazing monument to miss seeing it.

Segovia aqueduct is called as the most impressive Roman structure in Spain, by author architecture of Spain, Alejandro Lapunzina, due to its long span, architectural beauty as well as dramatic presence in the centre of a dense urban fabric. The Roman Aqueduct of Segovia was probably built in c. AD 50 and is well preserved. Its impressive construction with two tiers of archers tends to form part of the setting of the outstanding historic city of Segovia.

It is a massive construction of masonry, of 813 m in length comprising of four straight segments with two superimposed arcades borne by 128 pillars.Towards the lowest point of the valley, the aqueduct is at a height of 28.5 m above the ground. The other significant monuments comprise of the Alcazar which had begun around the 11th century and the Gothic cathedral during the 16th century.

Best Known Civil Engineering Achievements

In the centre of Spain lies the Old Town of Segovia, in the Autonomous Community of Castile and Leon while the centre is crowded together on the rocky bluff defined by the confluence of the Eresma as well as the Clamores rivers.

The 221 enormous pillars is a witness to the greatness of the Aqueae Atilianae in the province of Zaragoza while in other areas of Spain the only fragments of the Roman aqueduct of Sevilla, Toledo and Calahorra seems to have survived. Impressive monuments which survived in Merida, Tarragona and Segovia indicate the political determination that had followed the steps of the victorious armies and significantly increased the number of aqueducts which was described by Frontinus as `the most solemn testimony of the Empire’.

It is the best known civil engineering achievements due to its monumentality, together with its excellent state of conservation especially its amazing location in relation to the urban site. It stands as a symbol of the city and cannot be separated from Segovia as a whole.

Maintained the Structures of Authenticity

Due to its early lawful security, the property had maintained the structures of authenticity especially with regards to location, design and form which is applicable not only to the highlighted monuments like the Roman Aqueduct but also to the other monuments as well as architectural groups in the city.

Indications of the medieval city with historic locations such as the Jewish Quarter is seen in the present layout of the town with its narrow streets, the kind of paving as well as the decorated rendering of the buildings among other structures.

Since the urban communal is constantly being developed, the property has been affected by modification though it has always been under strict administrative controls from the municipality as well as the regional government to avoid negative impact on the attributes which convey Outstanding Universal Value of the property.