Aqueducts are channels or water bridges that are built for transportation of water from one place to another. This nifty technique was used for supplying water in the ancient cities from a natural source. This technique was first discovered by the Romans. Amazing examples of this awe-inspiring engineering technique are present all around the world which bears testimony to the creative skill, acumen and intelligence of the human mind.
Here are the five most amazing aqueducts of the world that you should include in your must visit list:
Pont du Gard Pont du Gard is a wonderful example of artistic as well as engineering magnum opus that was built across the Gardon river valley to supply water to the ancient city of Nimes. This aqueduct is built of huge stones of equal size without the use of mortar but only iron braces or clamps. According to the present geographical division, Pont du Gard is located in the south of France and it is the most amazing part of the 50Km long aqueduct. This site attracts many sightseers from all across the world and it has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO.
Nazca Aqueducts These are the life lines because of which civilization could thrive in the hot desert climate of Nazca, a small town of Peru from the 3rd century. The Nazcans have built curved stone lined canals connecting the fresh water source from the mountain with the inhabited areas so that the people get ample supply of fresh water for drinking as well as agriculture. These aqueducts are designed in such a scientific way so that it can be accessed easily through the entrance and cleaned without difficulty. Travelers would certainly love to venture round these curved paths.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct This aqueduct was built over the valley of the river Dee in the year 1805 to cater to the development of industries in north east Wales. This Aqueduct in Wales is about 45 feet high because of which it has earned the nomenclature ‘stream in the sky’. This site has been declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO as it the highest cast iron bridge and the most amazing and igneous creation of metal construction. Tourists love to take the narrow boat ride along this aqueduct to immerse in the charm and beauty of the natural beauty of North Wales.
Devil’s Bridge Devil’s Bridge or the Pont de les Ferreres was also built by the Romans and it supplied water to the city of Tarragona in Spain from the river Francoli. This water bridge has arches in two levels and is about 27 meters in height. This site was included by UNSECO as the World Heritage site. This monumental structure was built with huge stones and without the use of mortar for fixing them. It speaks a lot about the development in the field of engineering in the Roman era.
Aqueduct of Segovia This aqueduct was built at around 50 AD and it is one of the most beautiful sites in the city of Segovia in Spain. The excellent architectural style of this enormous monument reflects a lot about the ability and dexterity of the engineers of the ancient time. It is one of the most well preserved aqueducts of the world and one of the major landmarks of this city. The skills of the hydraulic engineers of the ancient time who have constructed these massive aqueducts would definitely fascinate the viewers. Even with limited tools and techniques, they were able to erect such fascinating structures. Moreover, these aqueducts also speak a lot about the developments in different field of a particular civilization and thus giving the tourists enough reason to stop by and get enthralled in their beauty.