The Acueducto de los Milagros ( en, Aqueduct of the Miracles) is a
Roman aqueduct
The Romans constructed aqueducts throughout their Republic and later Empire, to bring water from outside sources into cities and towns. Aqueduct water supplied public baths, latrines, fountains, and private households; it also supported min ...
in
Mérida (
Badajoz
Badajoz (; formerly written ''Badajos'' in English) is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. It is situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana. The populati ...
), Spain. It was built during the first century AD to supply water from the
Proserpina Dam to the ancient
Roman colony
A Roman (plural ) was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it. Eventually, however, the term came to denote the highest status of a Roman city. It is also the origin of the modern term '' colony''.
Character ...
of ''
Emerita Augusta
Emerita may refer to:
* ''Emerita'' (crustacean), a genus of crustaceans
* Emerita Augusta, an ancient city of Spain
* Saint Emerita, 3rd-century martyr; see Digna and Emerita
* Emerita, the feminine form of the adjective "emeritus
''Emeritus ...
''. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the aqueduct fell into decay and today it is in ruins with only a relatively small section of the aqueduct bridge standing. The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida, including the aqueduct, was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
in 1993.
Description
Only a relatively small stretch of the aqueduct still stands, consisting of 38 arched pillars standing high along a course of some . It is constructed from ''opus mixtum'' – granite
ashlar
Ashlar () is finely dressed (cut, worked) stone, either an individual stone that has been worked until squared, or a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, generally rectangular cuboid, mentioned by Vitruv ...
blocks interspersed with red brick – utilising a double arcade arrangement. The structure originally brought water to the city from a reservoir called the
Proserpina Dam, fed by a stream called Las Pardillas, around to the north-west of Mérida.
It is thought to have been constructed during the 1st century AD, with a second phase of building (or renovations) around 300 AD. In later centuries, the inhabitants of Mérida dubbed it the "Aqueduct of the Miracles" for the awe that it evoked.
The aqueduct was one of three built at Mérida, the other two being the long Aqua Augusta, fed by the
Cornalvo reservoir, and
San Lázaro, fed by underground channels. The aqueduct is preserved as part of the
Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida, a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
.
In the immediate vicinity, a small Roman bridge called
Puente de Albarregas runs parallel to the arcades.
See also
*
List of aqueducts in the Roman Empire
This is a list of aqueducts in the Roman Empire. For a more complete list of known and possible Roman aqueducts and Roman bridges see List of Roman bridges.
Aqueducts in the Roman Empire
See also
* List of aqueducts
Map of Roman Aqueduct i ...
*
List of Roman aqueducts by date
*
Ancient Roman technology
Roman technology is the collection of antiques, skills, methods, processes, and engineering practices which supported Roman civilization and made possible the expansion of the economy and military of ancient Rome (753 BC – 476 AD).
The R ...
*
Roman engineering
The ancient Romans were famous for their advanced engineering accomplishments. Technology for bringing running water into cities was developed in the east, but transformed by the Romans into a technology inconceivable in Greece. The architecture ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Milagros, Acueducto de los
Aqueducts in Spain
Roman aqueducts outside Rome
Acueducto de los Milagros
Acueducto de los Milagros
Acueducto de los Milagros
Acueducto de los Milagros
Bridges in Mérida, Spain