The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member aerospacecase
N 40° 56.913 W 004° 07.090
30T E 405886 N 4533647
Segovia's most unique feature is its still-functioning ancient aqueduct. It was built by the Romans around 50 AD, and is designed to make water flow uphill. (Don't ask how that works!) Even more amazing, Segovia's aqueduct was built without mortar. The pillars, and the arches, of the structure were built simply by stacking large stones.
Waymark Code: WM14J
Location: Castilla y León, Spain
Date Posted: 09/08/2005
Published By:Groundspeak Charter Member MAntunes
Views: 385
Download this waymark:
.GPX File
.LOC File
.KML File (Google Earth)

Constructed around A.D. 50, the Segovia aqueduct is one of the best preserved Roman aqueducts in Europe. A masterpiece of ancient engineering, it provided water to this Spanish city into the twentieth century and remains the city’s most prominent symbol. The workings of the Segovia Aqueduct extend for 14 kilometers under an urban complex that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Above ground, 120 pillars supporting its two-story arcade are preserved. Of these, 14 were rebuilt between the fourteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Despite its high profile and Segovia’s inscription as a World Heritage Site, the aqueduct is threatened by lack of maintenance, differential decay of stone blocks, water leakage from the upper viaduct, and in some areas pollution, which has caused the granite ashlar masonry to deteriorate and crack. Some preservation remedies have addressed the most urgent problems at the site in recent years, but a comprehensive management plan remains to be developed. The Segovia Historical Heritage Council proposes a four-year program to investigate and assess the overall conversation requirements of the site and to establish a conservation protocol for 2010 and beyond. The proposal calls for systematic documentation of the condition of the aqueduct, monitoring and recording of the condition of individual ashlar blocks of the exposed portions of the aqueduct and reduction of threats caused by bird and bat nesting, vegetation growth and pollution.
Related website: Not listed

When was it built?: Not listed
Visit Instructions:
To log a waymark in this category visit it and share your thoughts about the visit. It would be nice to also see photos of the aqueduct.

Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Ancient Aqueducts
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
GURUGU visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 03/22/2024 GURUGU visited it
BeayPepe visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 03/07/2023 BeayPepe visited it
VT9A5CC visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 05/12/2022 VT9A5CC visited it
Wizard_Speed_Time visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 04/12/2022 Wizard_Speed_Time visited it
Ariberna visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 08/25/2020 Ariberna visited it
jezevcik visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 07/31/2016 jezevcik visited it
50 State Redhead visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 06/28/2013 50 State Redhead visited it
ControlledInsanity visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 07/27/2011 ControlledInsanity visited it
puczmeloun visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 08/02/2010 puczmeloun visited it
Daniel C visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 06/01/2009 Daniel C visited it
charino visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 09/09/2008 charino visited it
Liderskull1 visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 08/20/2008 Liderskull1 visited it
Nebur visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 04/16/2006 Nebur visited it
atin visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 10/01/2005 atin visited it
PANTHER565 visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 01/03/2000 PANTHER565 visited it
Metro2 visited The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain 09/01/1991 Metro2 visited it

View all visits/logs