"The construction of the aqueduct of Sulmona dates back to 1256 during the reign of Manfred of Swabia (son of Frederick II of Swabia). The project to build the aqueduct was based on practical and functional reasons; in fact, it was intended to transport the waters of the Gizio river to the city in order to perform a dual function: to supply the cultivated lands and to provide a significant source of energy for artisanal activities.
The construction of the aqueduct involved a great expenditure of resources and ended up embodying in the eyes of citizens, visitors and foreigners a symbol of prosperity that made Sulmona a notable city.
Characteristics and operation “The aqueduct of 1256, a splendid example of medieval engineering, extends along a trilateral with segments that are significantly different in length: the first, 76.10 m long, is made up of 15 pointed arches supported by piers with a distance of approximately 5.10 m; the second, 24.38 m long, includes 5 arches with both the same spacing as the previous ones - except for the two closest to the Fontana del Vecchio which are about 90 cm narrower - and the same shape; the third is only 4.92 m long and consists solely of the last round arch with the terminal pier that merges with the structures of the Fontana del Vecchio.
The water could be taken from the Gizio River, through the “Forma Grande”, and conveyed into the Vella River. This extremely technical data, provided by the engineer Fulvio Di Benedetto, offers the starting point for a reflection on the difficulties that the construction of such a complex and majestic work must have entailed for the time and which was only possible thanks to the joint efforts of the population and local institutions. Structure The aqueduct is composed of 21 pointed arches in ashlar stone called “li Colossi”. Between the 7th and 8th arch there is a plaque where you can read some leonine verses in Lombard character.
A singular element for the time is the presence at the end of the epigraph of the name of the architect, Durante. It is believed that the last arch, the one near the Fontana del Vecchio, may have been built at a later time, as it presents some differences (usually considered the result of subsequent restorations). The scope of the work is evident from the fact that overall the arches and the structure have remained almost intact despite the multitude of earthquakes that hit the city, the most devastating of which was that of 1706 which forced changes and restoration work to be made. In 1962, some buildings that covered half of the aqueduct were eliminated (thanks also to the contribution of the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno).
The aqueduct, despite having lost its functionality today, never ceases to amaze us both from a technical point of view, as a perfect example of construction, and for its indisputable artistic value. This represents, in fact, one of the most evocative works of the city. Thanks to a beautiful and elegant staircase, the work of Lombard stonecutters, anyone walking along Corso Ovidio can access Piazza Garibaldi, walk along it and stop near the Fontanone, where you can continue a visual journey that from the town centre rises towards the Morrone, which stands out confidently in front of the aqueduct, in a narrow street that involves art, history and nature."
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The coordinates are from the arch near the Fontana Vecchio.