Aqueduct in France. Pont du Gard Aqueduct - Ancient Roman Heritage
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Pont du Gard is the highest of all Roman aqueducts that have survived to this day. The name of the bridge is given in honor of the river it crosses - Gard. Now, however, it has been renamed the Gardon River. The bridge is located near the city of Nimes in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, in the Gard department.
This bridge was part of a 50-meter aqueduct built to transport water from the Uzes springs to the city of Nîmes. Construction of the bridge is believed to have begun in the mid-1st century AD. under the reign of Claudius or Nero. About a thousand people worked on the construction of Pont du Gard over 5 years. This is the highest bridge built in antiquity.
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It is a grandiose structure, 275 meters long and 47 meters high, built from stones without the use of lime. The bridge consists of three tiers: 6 arches in the lower tier, 11 arches in the middle and 35 arches in the upper tier. The closer to the shore, the narrower the arches become. This is the last of the three-tier bridges of Ancient Rome that have survived to this day.
Photo 3.
Aqueducts were built at an angle so that water flowed to the desired location under the influence of gravity. With literally the smallest slope averaging just 25 cm per kilometer, the Pont du Gard provided Nimes with 30,000 to 40,000 m3 of running water per day, supplying numerous baths, fountains, and water pipes in rich houses.
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The aqueduct ceased to be used almost 500 years after its construction, shortly after the fall of the Roman Empire, although the Pont du Gard served simply as a bridge over the Gard River for many centuries. In the mid-18th century, a modern bridge was built nearby and the Pont du Gard was gradually closed to traffic.
In 1985, Pont du Gard was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Photo 5.
From 1696 to 1702, large-scale work was carried out to restore the bridge. And in 1747, a modern bridge was built near the aqueduct, thanks to which the Pont du Gard gets rid of the constant load. It is being repaired and brought into proper shape. Now it is a popular tourist destination.
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its height is 49 meters. Rare for that time, the building consists of 3 floors of arches: in the first row - 6 arches, in the second - 11, in the third - 35. The total weight of the structure is 50 thousand tons.
Photo 7.
At one time, the Pont du Gard aqueduct made a deep impression on the philosopher and thinker Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the writer Stendhal, and the artist Hubert Robert, whose painting “Pont du Gard” is now kept in the Louvre.
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The Pont du Gard is made of six-ton stones, without the use of lime. It is believed that the Pont du Gard was built by order of the great commander Marcus Agrippa, a friend of Emperor Octavian Augustus, in 19 BC. However, according to modern research, the construction of the bridge was completed only in the middle of the 1st century AD. The Pont du Gard was part of a 50-kilometer water pipeline that connected two ancient Roman cities in the south of France - Nîmes and Uzès.
The Pont du Gard is a three-tier aqueduct, with each tier having a different number of arches: thirty-five arches in the upper tier, in which the water supply ran. There are eleven arches in the middle tier, and only six in the lower tier, and only one of these six arches is the load-bearing part of the bridge. The width of the arches decreases as you approach the shore.
Photo 9.
According to modern calculations, thanks to this aqueduct, the inhabitants of Nîmes, who numbered about 50 thousand people, could use 400 liters of water each day.
The Pont du Gard served as an aqueduct until the fall of the Western Roman Empire, then it was sometimes used as a bridge. But already in the 8th century, the ancient aqueduct was practically out of commission: winds and time destroyed many of its sections, and local residents broke out stone for construction. In addition, in order for larger vehicles to pass over the bridge, it was necessary to hollow out part of the aqueduct's supports, which could cause the collapse of the entire structure. However, the Pont du Gard stood for over a thousand years, and traffic on the Pont du Gard only finally ceased in 1747, when a modern bridge was built nearby. And in 1855, the ancient aqueduct was restored by order of Napoleon III
From the viaduct to the aqueduct :) It was this principle that we were guided by when we decided to look at the ancient Roman Pont du Gard, located not so far from.
The restless ancient Romans outdid themselves here, building an aqueduct as tall as a modern 16-story building. Spanning the Gardon River, this gigantic bridge was part of a 50-kilometer aqueduct supplying drinking water to the ancient Roman city of Nimes in what is now French territory.
Getting to Pont du Gard is quite easy and there are well-placed signs all along the way. There is such a thing: there are parking lots on both banks of the river, but on the left there are just crowds, even a crowd of tourist buses. On the right bank there was peace and quiet, free parking, and a pleasant shady alley leading to the aqueduct.
Scientists do not have a clear answer about the time of construction of this aqueduct. Some believe that it was built in 19 BC, others that in the middle of the 1st century AD. The Pont du Gard is built from stone blocks, some of which weigh almost 6 tons, and laid on top of each other without mortar.
On the right bank, a little before reaching the building itself, there is an old stone staircase, climbing which to the observation deck, you can look at the bridge from above.
The Gardon River (aka Gar or Gard) looks very picturesque from above. 133 kilometers long, it ends when it flows into the Rhone.
The aqueduct is three-tiered: there are six arches in the lower tier, eleven on average, and thirty-five in the upper tier. As you approach the shore, the width of the arches decreases.
In ancient times, the Pont du Gard was connected to a water intake, from which pipes diverged in five directions. Transporting water by gravity alone was very efficient: 20,000 cubic meters of water per day passed through the aqueduct.
By the 9th century, the aqueduct was no longer used for its intended purpose, turning it into an ordinary bridge (it worked for a measly 900 years:). To allow large vehicles to pass, some of the supports were hollowed out, which created a threat of collapse of the entire structure. In 1747, a modern bridge was built nearby, traffic along the Pont du Garou gradually disappeared, and the ancient monument itself was restored by order of Napoleon III.
A gem of ancient architecture, the Pont du Gard aqueduct is one of the most beautiful Roman structures in the world. Discover a key monument in the heart of Provence.
Pont du Gard, 2000 years of history
The Pont du Gard is an aqueduct built by the Romans in the first century AD. Unique in its size, the bridge rises to 49 meters, being the tallest ancient bridge in the world. It consists of arcades arranged in three tiers (6 arches form the lower tier, 11 arches form the middle tier, and the upper tier originally included 47 small arches), which is also a rare structure for that era. More than a thousand people participated in the construction of this colossal monument, built in just 5 years!
Thanks to the fact that the aqueduct has been preserved in excellent condition, it stands out from all architectural monuments and is admired as a masterpiece of the creative genius of mankind. It is impossible to pass by as he is the last of the 3-tier ancient bridges that has survived to this day.
Nimes Aqueduct: 5 centuries of flowing water
Built around 50 AD under the reign of Claudius or Nero, the aqueduct of which the Pont du Gard is part supplied the city of Nîmes with large quantities of running water under pressure for 5 centuries. Roman city, antique " Nemaus", receives such unprecedented development in the first century AD that the need to build an aqueduct in the model and likeness of Rome, the capital and model for the entire Roman Empire, becomes clear. This creation provides the city (with about 20,000 inhabitants at the time) a new prestige: fountains, baths, running water in rich estates, and the sanitary condition of the streets contribute to a comfortable and comfortable life in the city. With an average slope of 25 cm per kilometer, one of the smallest for structures built in that era, the aqueduct supplied 30,000 to 40,000 m 3 of flowing water per day by gravity from a source located in Uzès, 50 kilometers from Nîmes.
UNESCO landmark and French architectural and historical monument
In 1985, this French park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2004, and again in 2010, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development awarded the monument the title of Monument of Architecture and History of France for the merits of the natural park surrounding the aqueduct.
Unique heritage
From a height of 2000 years of existence, the Pont du Gard rises proudly above the winding valley of the Gardon River. An undeniable icon of Roman civilization, it has passed through the centuries, remaining almost in its original form. Its unprecedented size, airy architecture and excellent condition evoke admiration and surprise.
Stone colossus
A true technical achievement, the construction of the Pont du Gard required the combined efforts of aboutthousands of people, which within 5 yearsworked to realize the dream of the greatness of the Roman Empire.
It is the highest bridge built in the ancient period. To create the central arch spanning the Gardon River, the builders developed the largest circle ever created before. The Pont du Gard is the only example of a three-tier aqueduct that has survived to this day.
Title "Monument of Architecture and History of France®"
Sights that have received the title of Monuments of Architecture and History of France® have widely known, are included in the registration list of the Ministry of Culture and are among the most popular tourist destinations. The purpose of conferring this title is to secure the glory of architectural monuments cornerstones as in the area conservation of the environment, cultural heritage and landscapes, and in the field receiving visitors.
An exceptional landscape heritage of 165 hectares
Protected natural environment, The natural treasure of the Pont du Gard is the main component of the interest shown by visitors to this Roman monument, which forms a unified whole with its surrounding nature.
Architectural design of the park, a tribute to modernity
On each of the banks, 500 meters from the Bridge, there are two buildings, hidden when viewed from the monument, the purpose of which is to receive and inform park visitors. The project for their creation was carried out by the great French architect, recognized throughout the world, Jean-Paul Viguier. His style and manner are filled with modernity. Here he creates a minimalist and introverted structure that represents one of the many charms of the Pont du Gard that attracts visitors.
Aqueduct of Pont du Gard (France) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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If you need a living example of a historical and architectural paradox, then southern France is ideally suited for this: monuments from the era of the Roman Empire are more numerous here than in Italy itself, and even more preserved. Theatrical performances are still held in the Nîmes amphitheater, and the world's highest Roman aqueduct, the Pont du Gard, even served as a road bridge until the second half of the last century.
This paradox has an explanation: the territories of Provence and Languedoc became part of France quite a long time ago, and subsequent historical storms passed them - unlike Italy, torn apart by internecine wars.
“...made by the slaves of Rome”
The dimensions of the Pont du Gard aqueduct can amaze even in the 21st century: the length of the structure is 275 and the height is 49 m (For comparison, this is the height of a modern 16-story building!). But no matter how grandiose the current bridge is, in fact it is only part of an ancient water pipeline 50 km long. It supplied Nim with water for half a millennium, and its capacity was sufficient for each resident of a city of 50 thousand to consume up to 400 liters of water per day. The height difference between the starting and ending points of the water pipeline was only 17 m (or 34 cm per kilometer). How Roman engineers managed to achieve such incredible accuracy is still a mystery to historians.
The Romans did not suffer from gigantomania and did not waste resources on stupid things like the Egyptian pyramids: in addition to practical functions, their buildings had a clear political goal - to instill in the conquered peoples awe of the power of the Empire and destroy in the bud the very idea of resistance.
Another mystery of the Garsky Bridge is hidden in its design. It was built by simply joining six-ton stone blocks end to end - without the use of binding components (although the Romans were well aware of the properties of concrete - because they invented it themselves). It is surprising that this structure has stood for two millennia, because the conditions in the Gardon River valley are extremely difficult: in spring and autumn, the bridge supports suffer from floods, and the three-level structure as a whole is subject to wind erosion all year round.
It is possible that the entire water supply system could have survived to this day, but it was destroyed not by the bungling of builders or vandalism, not by wars or natural disasters, but by the properties of the local water - it contains too much lime. After the collapse of the Empire, there was no one to clean the water supply from sediment, and it simply clogged. The stones of the already useless structure were used to build houses and fortresses, and the Pont du Gard survived because another use was found for it - as a bridge.
Pont du Gard today
The old bridge has finally found its well-deserved peace: traffic on it has been stopped, since 1985 it has been under the protection of UNESCO, and now only tourists stroll under the arched vaults. There is a museum near the bridge, nearby there are children's playgrounds, souvenir shops and restaurants with cafes - in a word, everything you need to slowly and comfortably explore the unique heritage of Rome - the majestic Pont du Gard.
Practical information
GPS coordinates: 43° 56" 50; 4° 32" 08.
The Pont du Gard park is open 7 days a week all year round. Ticket category "Short excursion" (Pont du Gard, Museum, Cinema, Game Library, route "Memory of Garigy", Expositions) - 9.50 EUR, Ticket "Aqueduct": "Short excursion" + guided tour along the canal) - 14 EUR. Evening ticket for illumination (only in June, July, August and September) - 5 EUR. The museum's opening hours depend on the season; information is regularly updated on the official website. Prices on the page are as of March 2019.
How to get there: by car on the A9 motorway to exit 23, then follow the signs for Pont du Gard. You can take buses line A15 (from Avignon) or B21 (from Nimes) - in both cases the journey will take about half an hour.
The next city we stopped in was Avignon. The layout is the same, but we stayed in a B&B for two days, since there was a lot to see in the area around Avignon.
The first city we decided to visit was the city of Orange.
Orange (French Orange) is a city in France, in the Vaucluse department, on the left bank of the Rhone, 21 km north of Avignon. Population - 28,889 inhabitants (2006).
Orange is known in France for its hot climate. It was named Arausion by the Gauls in honor of one of the Celtic gods. Under Augustus it became one of the most prosperous centers of Roman Provence, but in the 5th century it was plundered by the Visigoths. Since the 11th century, it has been an independent county, and then the Principality of Orania, which passed in 1530 to the Dillenburg branch of the House of Nassau. Representatives of the House of Nassau-Oran, being stadholders of the Netherlands, de jure retained possession of Orange until the death of the childless William III in 1702. As a result of the Peace of Utrecht, Orange was awarded to France (which de facto owned the city since 1660), but the senior prince of the House of Nassau retained the title of Prince of Orange, which is still borne by the heir to the crown of the Netherlands.
As you can see from the quote, the main attraction of the city is the ancient Roman theater, which we went to see.
The city of Orange is located just north of Avignon, about 50 kilometers away, we got there very quickly.
Finding parking was also not a problem; there are quite a lot of them in the city, but they all have a fee.
Here at the ticket office we immediately bought tickets to Nimes and Les Baux-De-Provence, where we were going later. Tickets are valid for quite a long time, more than ten days, so you can plan your trip as you please.
The theater is truly amazing. Huge and ancient, surrounded by the ruins of outbuildings for various purposes. According to the audio guide, there used to be a whole complex of outbuildings near the theater where the noble Roman could have fun.
And women and slaves were supposed to find entertainment in household chores...
The theater in Orange has survived to this day better than any other ancient Roman theater. It was built in the first half of the 1st century. AD, at the very end of the reign of Emperor Augustus, and according to the architects' plan it was supposed to accommodate 11,000 spectators. The 60 tiers of benches for spectators, arranged in a semicircle, and the back wall of the stage (103 m long and 37 m high) still stand intact and intact.
Seats for spectators are arranged in a natural recess of a gentle hill, and the facade of the theater is a high outer wall. From the outside, the facade of the theater, divided into four tiers by light arcades and cut through by three square gates, makes a majestic impression. The wall on the inside also has several tiers in which niches are arranged. In the central niche, high above the actors' stage, was installed a colossal (3.55 m high) white marble statue - believed to be Emperor Augustus - in armor, with his hand raised in greeting. The statue standing today in the Orange Theater is a copy. The original statue was broken by the barbarians who captured the city, and its fragments were found during archaeological excavations. The head of the sculpture turned out to be lost, so it was quite difficult to establish exactly who exactly it depicted.
The theater in Orange is known for its excellent sound quality and still hosts opera performances today. To further improve the acoustics, the builders installed a wooden roof over the backdrop of the stage. The amphitheater also had a wooden floor on top of a stone plinth. A groove dug specifically for the theater curtain is still visible in the floor in front of the stage.
The theater was simply huge and stubbornly refused to fit into the frame entirely
Then we went to the Arc de Triomphe, built by the Romans in 20 AD, after suppressing the Gaul uprising.
The arch is one of the most majestic structures of its age, and it was discovered only in the 19th century.
What really attracts attention are its bas-reliefs. Modeling of amazing beauty and grace. True, due to its age, the plot is quite difficult to understand, but it is not difficult to guess that it was most likely dedicated to the greatness and glorification of the Emperor.
We decided to stop at these two attractions and drove towards the city of Nimes.
On the way to Nîmes, we stopped at another place that we simply had no right to miss.
It was an ancient Roman aqueduct - Pont Du Gard.
Pont du Gard (French Pont du Gard, lit. “bridge over the Gard”) is the highest surviving ancient Roman aqueduct. Crossed the Gardon River (formerly called Gard) in the French department of Gard near Remoulans. Length 275 meters, height 47 meters. UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1985)
It was long believed that the Pont du Gard was erected to supply water to the city of Nîmes on the orders of Marcus Agrippa, son-in-law of Emperor Octavian Augustus (c. 19 BC). The latest research indicates that construction was carried out in the middle. I century n. e. It was built without the use of lime and was an integral part of a 50-kilometer water pipeline. The aqueduct is three-tiered: there are six arches in the lower tier, eleven on average, and thirty-five in the upper tier. As you approach the shore, the width of the arches decreases.
The water supply ceased to function shortly after the fall of the Roman Empire, but the aqueduct itself was used as a wagon bridge for centuries. To allow large vehicles to pass, some of the supports were hollowed out, which created a threat of collapse of the entire structure. In 1747, a modern bridge was built nearby, traffic along the Pont du Garou was gradually closed, and the ancient monument itself was restored by order of Napoleon III.
Entrance to this majestic monument is free, although you will have to pay 5 euros for parking.
It was possible to walk only on the middle level; the two upper ones were closed to passage - it was dangerous.
The inscriptions of 19th century vandals are easily visible on the railings.
The aqueduct itself is thrown across a small river in which you can swim. The water was quite cool, but Yulka and Max went for a swim, but after they were almost washed away by the current, they quickly changed their minds.
And all because we decided to be smarter than others and went swimming in a place where there were few people
But the view from there was magnificent...
To pay for parking, you had to take your parking ticket with you; special machines were located next to the souvenir shops, but I left the ticket in the car, so I had to pay with a credit card. To do this, I had to stuff it, after the ticket, into a strange-looking machine at the exit of the parking lot.
When the card disappeared into the depths of the machine, I mentally said goodbye to it, but everything turned out okay
They took exactly five euros from me and gave me my property.
The next destination was the city of Nîmes.
Perhaps the most famous landmark of the city of Nimes is the Roman amphitheater.Nîmes (French N?mes) is a city in the south of France, a prefecture (administrative center) of the Gard department (Languedoc-Roussillon region). Population - 137,200 people (January 1, 2004).
Nîmes (in Latin Nemausus) was in ancient times the capital of the Gallic tribe of Arecomic Volci, who submitted to the Romans in 121 BC. e. On the site of the Celtic settlement, Emperor Augustus founded a new city. Thanks to its favorable location in the wine-growing region and the privileges granted by the emperors, Nîmes became one of the largest cities in southern France. In the 5th century it was plundered by the Vandals and Visigoths, followed by them in the 8th century. Arabs came (expelled in 737)From the 10th century Nîmes was part of the possession of the Counts of Toulouse, was the center of the Albigensian movement, and in 1229 was annexed to the domain of the King of France. In the 16th century The citizens of Nîmes adopted Protestantism. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, there was unrest among the Huguenots.
The Nîmes amphitheater is one of the best preserved structures of its type in the world. The arena, designed for 24 thousand people, was famous for gladiator fights. Now the amphitheater is covered with a retractable roof. Bullfights and other varied events (performances, music and sports events) are held here.
The amphitheater, I must say, somewhat disappointed us. The intervention of modern man, in my opinion, seriously spoils the impression of the inspection. There are rows of plastic chairs and a huge ugly stage.
We really hoped to go to the bullfights, but it turned out that no events were held there. At least on the day we were there.
It was difficult to find out more precisely, since the service staff did not speak English.
We spent a long time looking for how to get to the very top; finding the stairs turned out to be not as easy as it might seem at first glance. To do this, you just had to go out to the outer circle of the amphitheater, this is where the entrances to the stairs are located.
This is the view of the stadium from the highest point
Inside the amphitheater there are small museums dedicated to toreadors, where original costumes are presented and a film with bullfights is shown (at least you watched the movie)…
... to the gladiators who performed in the arena in ancient times...
In the museum with gladiators, we really liked the hologram of two small gladiators in the arena. They looked like two little midget gladiators. Max was delighted
Having had our fill of exploring the amphitheater, we headed towards Maison Carré, where we could watch the 3D film “Heroes of Nîmes”.
Maison Carrée (French Maison Carr?e; lit. “square house”) is the best preserved ancient Roman temple in France. Located in the center of Nimes (Provence). According to the previously existing inscription above the entrance, it was consecrated by the stepsons of Emperor Augustus ca. 1 BC e. The length of the temple is 25 m, width 12 m.
In the 4th century. the temple was converted into a church, which saved it from destruction. During the French Revolution, stables were located here. In 1823, the building was declared a national museum and houses an exhibition of ancient Roman art.
We all really liked the film, it seemed to take us through time, from ancient times to the present. On the way back we simply took pictures of the city views.
And, finally, we took a photo with a statue of a toreador near the amphitheater.
We didn’t look at Nim in great detail; it was already almost seven in the evening, and we really wanted to have time to swim in the sea.
And we moved south to the town of St. Mary De la Mer.
The town is tiny and if it had not been evening, we would hardly have found a parking place.
With a feeling of accomplishment (after all, the ultimate goal of our trip was, after all, the desire to swim in the sea), we ran to swim.
But to our surprise, the sea turned out to be very cold and we couldn’t swim for a long time, but we were still very happy. And Max in particular.
An hour later we went home. And along the road, on the left on the estuaries, we saw stunning flamingos...
This is just one of the days of our trip, you can read other stories about France and other countries.
