ALL SHADES OF RED HAIR

This is the Pont du Gard, a famous Roman Aqueduct on the Gardon River in France.

This monumental structure spanning the Gardon River valley is 275 metres long, 49 metres high, 6 metres wide at the base, 3 metres wide at the top and has a total of fifty three arches. It is only one part of a fifty kilometre aqueduct which supplied Roman Nimes with fresh water. It is estimated to have carried twenty thousand cubic metres per day.

It was built using six-ton stone blocks, coloured a delicate shade of pink, laid dry, and is a technological and aesthetic masterpiece.

Through poor maintenance, the aqueduct gradually became unusable in the 9th Century.

But the many times restored Pont du Gard, still remains its haughty air even after nearly two thousand years.

From a tourist book on La Provence (English version)

Begun around 19 BC, this bridge is part of an aqueduct which transported water from a spring near Uzes to Roman Nimes. An underground channel, bridges and tunnels were engineered to carry the 20 million litre (4.4 million gallon) daily water supply 50 km (31 miles).

The three-tiered structure of the Pont du Gard spans the Gardon valley and was the tallest aqueduct in the Roman empire.

Its huge limestone blocks, some as heavy as 6 tonnes, were erected without mortar. The water channel covered by stone slabs, was in the top tier of the three. Skillfully designed cutwaters ensured that the bridge has resisted many violent floods.

It is not known for certain how long the aqueduct continued in use but it may still have been functioning as late as the 9th century AD.

The adjacent road bridge was erected in the 1700s.

Taken from DK Eyewitness Travel: Provence & The Cote D'Azur

Sign on the left is like the one I found on the right side.

A sign saying No stepping on the monument. Also says Please do not climb over this parapet.

This is the Pont du Gard, a famous Roman Aqueduct on the Gardon River in France.

This monumental structure spanning the Gardon River valley is 275 metres long, 49 metres high, 6 metres wide at the base, 3 metres wide at the top and has a total of fifty three arches. It is only one part of a fifty kilometre aqueduct which supplied Roman Nimes with fresh water. It is estimated to have carried twenty thousand cubic metres per day.

It was built using six-ton stone blocks, coloured a delicate shade of pink, laid dry, and is a technological and aesthetic masterpiece.

Through poor maintenance, the aqueduct gradually became unusable in the 9th Century.

But the many times restored Pont du Gard, still remains its haughty air even after nearly two thousand years.

From a tourist book on La Provence (English version)

Begun around 19 BC, this bridge is part of an aqueduct which transported water from a spring near Uzes to Roman Nimes. An underground channel, bridges and tunnels were engineered to carry the 20 million litre (4.4 million gallon) daily water supply 50 km (31 miles).

The three-tiered structure of the Pont du Gard spans the Gardon valley and was the tallest aqueduct in the Roman empire.

Its huge limestone blocks, some as heavy as 6 tonnes, were erected without mortar. The water channel covered by stone slabs, was in the top tier of the three. Skillfully designed cutwaters ensured that the bridge has resisted many violent floods.

It is not known for certain how long the aqueduct continued in use but it may still have been functioning as late as the 9th century AD.

The adjacent road bridge was erected in the 1700s.

Taken from DK Eyewitness Travel: Provence & The Cote D'Azur

Details of the stonework.

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