Les Ferreres Aqueduct facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Les Ferreres AqueductAqüeducte de les Ferreres |
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Aqüeducte de les Ferreres in Tarragona, Spain
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| Coordinates | 41°8′48″N 1°14′37″E / 41.14667°N 1.24361°E |
| Carries | Aqueduct to Tarraco |
| Locale | Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 249 m |
| Height | 27 m (without gallery) |
| Number of spans | 25 (upper arcade) |
| History | |
| Construction end | Probably reign of Augustus (27 BC–14 AD) |
Elevation
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| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Part of | Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iii) |
| Inscription | 2000 (24th Session) |
| Area | 0.4 ha (43,000 sq ft) |
| Buffer zone | 71.5 ha (0.276 sq mi) |
The Ferreres Aqueduct is an amazing ancient bridge in Spain. It is also known as the Pont del Diable, which means "Devil's Bridge". This bridge was part of a Roman aqueduct system. It brought fresh water to the old Roman city of Tarraco. Today, this city is called Tarragona in Catalonia.
The aqueduct is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north of Tarragona. It is a very important historical site. In fact, it is part of the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco. This whole area became a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 2000.
What is the Ferreres Aqueduct?
The Ferreres Aqueduct was built a very long time ago. It was probably built when Augustus was the Roman emperor. This was between 27 BC and 14 AD. The aqueduct's main job was to carry water. It brought water from the Francolí river. This river is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) north of Tarragona.
How the Aqueduct was Built
The Ferreres Aqueduct is made of two levels of arches. The top level has 25 arches. The bottom level has 11 arches. All the arches are almost the same size. They are about 5.9 meters (19 feet) wide. The pillars that hold up the arches are about 7.95 meters (26 feet) apart.
The aqueduct is very tall. It reaches a maximum height of 27 meters (89 feet). It is also very long, stretching 249 meters (817 feet). At the very top, there is a special channel. This channel is called a specus. It was where the water actually flowed.
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Detail of the aqueduct
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The water channel (specus) of the aqueduct
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A closer look at the aqueduct arches
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The aqueduct lit up at night
See also
In Spanish: Acueducto de les Ferreres para niños
- Roman bridges
- List of Roman aqueduct bridges
