Pont du Gard in the Nîmes area – the highest Roman aqueduct

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Roman aqueducts were quite large, but how big is the Pont du Gard

The Pont du Gard is part of the Roman aqueduct, which was once supplying water to Nîmes from the sources in Uzès. The whole aqueduct was about 50 km long. The section called Pont du Gard consists of three tiers and is 275 m long. A water channel was placed on the upper level, while the lower one served as a bridge.

The highest Roman aqueduct

Measuring 49 m high, it is the highest bridge ever built by the Romans. No wonder, that they themselves thought of it as the proof of the greatness of the Roman Empire.

Further fate of the aqueduct

The highest Roman aqueduct was built in 26 BC – 16 BC on Agrypa’s order. Neglected since the fourth century, in the ninth century it was clogged by mineral deposits and debris that eventually choked off the flow of water. This made it the source of building material for the local population. Even though, the Pont du Gard itself was almost intact. In 1985, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The area around the Pont du Gard aqueduct is very quiet, it is the perfect place for spending lazy afternoons. Although the water is quite cold, the view of the aqueduct compensates for any inconvenience 🙂 .

 

Photographs of Pont du Gard aqueduct

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Carly BB