Roman aqueducts. Aqueduct is the Roman idea, incarnated worldwide Roman bridges and aqueducts

In antiquity, water supply of cities on a complex territory in terms of relief was carried out with the help of complex engineering structures. Aqueduct is one of the options for laying a high-rise source to consumers located below. What is the feature of such structures and why did they prefer the ancient builders?

Aqueduct: What is it?

In different states, they tried to invent the optimal version of the transfer of water from the source to consumers. If the complexity of the relief happened on the way, and there was no opportunity to get around, or it was expensive, designer engineers usually equipped the highway on high-altitude supports.

What does the "Aqueduct" mean? If we translate from Latin, this is essentially water. However, many with aqueducts associate only complex and often beautiful multi-tiered structures, similar to stepped bridges. In fact, the aqueduct is a holistic system and should be considered comprehensively throughout the source from the source to the final point of consumption.

The altitude design undoubtedly plays an important role in the passage of the complex part of the track. If it is located in the city feature, nearby with residential buildings, then the engineers tried to make her pleasant to the eyes. But the waterway consisted not only from beautiful arches and supports. All over (they could range from a few hundred meters to tens of kilometers) there could be underground segments.

This scale water supply was not built for a year or two. It could be used for decades, or even a century. Therefore, the design and construction itself was carried out carefully. Stones for the base and supports were selected and treated separately. The calculations of the arches and overlaps were to be flawless. The design was subjected to constant impacts of winds and precipitation. The slightest inaccuracies or shortcomings in the construction process could not be reduced.

History

The construction of bridges, the overpass and overpasses was practiced in many ancient states. Put the pipe or open chute for the water for the water wire and in Greece, and in the East, but the greatest spread of this type of water was obtained in an antique Rome. Some of them are preserved to this day. They are not only the architectural monuments, but also are in the current state.

Another question is why they received such distribution. At that time, there were already in theory and in practice pressure pipelines for water supplies, were systems built according to the principle of siphon.

Roman aqueduct - what is it? Ancient designers elected a gravitational self-supply system for their water. Most of these aqueducts were laid on high-altitude supports. In some places, their height accounted for up to fifty meters.

Characteristic

Ancient aqueducts were usually built from stone blocks. Small waterways could be equipped for relatively low wooden supports. Later, with the development of construction technologies, engineers used brick and concrete. The flourishing of metallurgy made it possible to use steel and cast iron in complex structures.

The Roman type aqueduct device assumes the presence of an open or closed tap cuvette. This is a peculiar channel or chute, built of materials resistant to the destructive effects of water flow. For this purpose, stone blocks were most often used. The closed channel was covered with top or plates from above to eliminate water pollution.

Pipes used in some aqueducts, at that time could be either ceramic or lead. Ceramics was made from burnt clay, but this material was unreliable. The hole in the stone blocks of the hole was hard. About the dangers of lead for human health at that time was already known. However, it was put up with this fact. In addition, in places with rigid water, the lead walls of the pipes quickly covered with a dense layer of plaque.

In antiquity, the big city counted from 500 thousand people. The flourishing of empires in the capitals could constantly live to two million citizens. To ensure their water, it was necessary to have a reliable, constantly functioning system. In some cities, a dozen aqueduct could work at the same time. The overall length of the system became over 400 km. The volume of water supplied per day, according to some estimates, could be up to 1.5 million cubic meters.

The aqueduct is a complex system, and it worked in such a way as to ensure a constant natural current of water throughout its entirety under the action of gravitational forces. Calculations were made so that the slope of the channels was optimal. Not all the aqueducts were mostly high. There could be only up to 10% of the total length of such complex sites.

In some cases, it was considered advisable to make a deepening in the soil. Round rocks cut off. Ruffy soils were laid out by processed blocks, which were covered with vaults. The main task was to ensure the constancy of the level. The system could have additional tanks. They could serve to defend water, stock accumulation, creating volumes for pressure facilities.

Ancient water pipes and modernity

Ancient aqueduct is the most complex engineering system. Taking over with the device of such water pipes, specialists note that they designed their real architects. It should be understood that their authors worked real wonders, showing deep knowledge of hydraulics, mechanics, construction.

Some believe that these aqueducts are preserved only due to the fact that they have laid a multiple margin of safety. However, modern research and study of existing systems prove that they meet the requirements of modern water pipes. It is known that the engineers of those times could calculate the loads and resistance of materials during construction. However, how could they calculate the effect of the overturning forces of winds and floods, remains a mystery. Formulas for calculating the coefficients of the samotane water supply appeared many centuries later. And at that time, the system of mathematical calculations using pebbles and counting boards was very laborious and uncomfortable.

Legends and facts

Despite the grandeur and complexity of Roman aqueducts, there were no shut-off valves in their systems. The water flowed constantly: both in the afternoon, and at night. Its consumption was huge even by the current standards. But the plus of such a waste was that the sewage was constantly washed, there were fewer problems with the clouds.

Aqueduct is a truly grand architectural structure. No wonder on one of the legends, the authorship of the world-famous arched construction in Segovia is attributed to the devil. As if he was built a grand construction in exchange for the girl's laid soul. But she tried himself in time and sipped a forgiveness from the Most High. He did not finish the construction. The devil did not have time to put just one stone. The townspeople have completed the work and after consecration launched a water supply line.

Water in the ancient Rome performed the inseparable part of the life of citizens. Fountains who serve as a decoration of the city, the terms in which the Romans supported the purity of the body and gave rest of the soul, Navaichi (sea battles), where the scenes of ship battles were played - all this prescribed the city with a huge amount of water. Roman emperors, applying considerable efforts to meet the needs of their citizens, to gain their support and decorate the eternal city, did not gentle the resources on the construction of water supply systems. So appeared aqueducts Rome.

Ancient Rome aqueducts are recognized by the impeccable plumbing system of that era, a miraculous engineering thought. With it, the water entered the fountains, baths, private houses of rich citizens. The Romans used water for drinking, making food, ensure cleanliness, all the time public restroom was washed.

The principle of operation of Aqueducts Rome

Essentially, Rome aqueducts are the system of irrigation canals stretched through different landscapes. Water from the source went to the aqueduct, from it - to a special sump "Castellus", and in the pipes were distributed to the city. If the water supply was not built underground, then it was mounted in arched spars and covered on top, so that the water remained clean.

Rome Aqueduct Scheme: Initially, the end point of the water supply was planned, after, moving from the end to the beginning, they walked the map of the terrain, registering the relief and selecting the best way. Wooden piles have planned a line of the future highway and began to prepare the terrain - Ryal trenches, cut the trees, digged tunnels in the mountains, built bridges. After, the block behind the unit has dragged the plumbing from the source.

Rome Aquets are more than 350 km of aqueduct. And only a small part of them was located underground. With the construction of Rome aqueducts, a pozzolan concrete was involved - a mixture of concrete with lime and volcanic ashes, a strong durable material that has given the opportunity to survive many aqueducts to today's days. So that the water continuously went to the city, we needed the right slope of the sidel. If the builders on the way came across the mountain, it was necessary to dig a tunnel - the aqueduct of Rome, bypassing the mountain, would not possess the necessary slope.

Eminent Aqueducts Rome

For 538 years in Rome built 11 water supply systems, which became a sample for other countries:

Aqueduct Aqua Appia

Aqueduct Rome Aqua Appia was built in 312 BC, with the support of the urban rulers of Appia Claudia and Guy Flotia. Appia was a plan of the future water supply, and Guy led research work: in the Sabinsk mountains, 15 kilometers from the capital discovered a source of pure water, he studied her volume, conducted a survey of the population on the theme of quality. But all the honors went to Appia Claudia.

Aqua Appia was almost entirely under the ground, his length was 16 kilometers. From the Cappen gate began the open part of the structure in length - 90 m, which was an arched system. Water flowed to the bullish market, where she was going in the tanks and was distributed around the city.

The name of this Aqueduct of Rome occurred from the Anio River, the name "Old" Aqueduct acquired after the construction of a new Aqueduka - Anio Novus in 38. The construction of this water supply, which became the second in Rome after Aqua Appia, began in 272 and finished in 269 to our era. Construction was started at the censors of Mania by Kuria Dentate and Lucia Papini Pretacks and was carried out at the funds received after the victory over the Pyrright, it was completed when Mark Fulvia Flacke.

In this aqueduct Rome, water came from the Anio River, the influx of Tiber. The length of the aqueduct was 64 km, he flew almost entirely under the ground. Repeated aqueduct repaired. For the first time, when quinting the marchs of Rex in the second century BC, the second time - when Mark Vipsania Agrippe in 33 BC, and for the third time with the emperor Octaviana August, from 11 to 4 years before our era. After the construction of Anio Novus, the water from the old aqueduct began to be used mainly for watering gardens.

Rome Aqueducts: Aqua Marcia

Aqueduct Rome Aqua Marcia long 91 kilometers built in 144 BC, he was filled out of a number of sources near the Anienna River. For breeding wine, the most appropriate Romans recognized water just from this aqueduct. A few centuries, Emperor Diocletian held another branch of the aqueduct to his terms, and Karakalla - to his.

Aqueduct Aqua Tempula

The aqueduct of Rome Aqua Tempula long in 18 kilometers was built in 125 to our era. Water in it was a minimum plus 17 °, from where and the name went, since Tepula means "warm." In 33 BC, the commander Mark Agryptova combined the aqueduct with another, Aqua Iulia. Water aqueduct Marcy, Claudia and Anio Novus mixed at the site of the port of Maggiore, from where the water from Aqua Tempula flowed the same route as from the water pipeline.

The construction of the water supply was launched during the brand of vipsania Agrippe in 33 BC, after a few years earlier the eleventh and fourth years BC, with the Emperor, Aqueduct was restored.

The length of this Aqueduka of Rome is 23 km, it was combined with the water pipeline of the Aqua Tempula, built in 125 to our era. The source was in the Albanian mountains. Water from Aqua Julia provided another monumental fountain of Alexander North.

Rome Aqueducts: Aircraft Aqueduct

Agrippa made the creator and the sixth, still functioning aquave aqua Virgo. Underground 20-kilometer aqueduct was built in the nineteenth year BC. The name of Virgo, meaningful "virgin" has a connection with the myth about the fact that the young girl showed Agrippe a place where the source of crystal clear water was located. Currently, Rome Aqua Virgo's aqueduct provides water barkaccha fountains, and a fountain of four rivers.

Aqueduct Aqua Assietina

The aqueduct of Rome Aqua Auxetina, which dates back to 2 year B to our era, was provided by the waters of modern Lakes Brachly and Martignano. Not absolutely clear water of the alcutane was used to fill the Navaichi Emperor of August - artificial reservoirs for the statements of ship battles. The same aqueduct, extended after 358 Arches Irrigated Gardens Julia Caesar.

The construction of the Aqua Claudia aqueduct, Aqua Claudia began during the reign of Kaliguly, completed in 52 of our era under Claudia. The source was the Anienne River, in parallel, the aqueduct marcha was held with whom they combined in the Aquave Park. The monumental arch of the aqueduct turned out to be part of the Princein gate. Claudia Aqueduct Branch under the name Celimontano provided water of the Golden House of Nero.

Anio novus.

This aqueduct of Rome with a length of 87 km acquired its name from the River Aniene, the influx of Tiber. Anio Novus, who became the replacement of Anio Vetus, was built at one time with the Claudia aqueduct and has the same sources with him. The construction of Aqueducts of Claudia and Anio Novus began under the caligule in 38 and ended in 52 under the Emperor of Claudia. Because the water from the river was cloudy, it was originally directed to the cleaning pools - Piscina Limaria. Approximately 14 km of this aqueduct were laid over the ground, 3-storey arches reached up to 32 meters.

Aqua Traiana was built in 109 by decree of the emperor Trojan. The water supply was supplied with the waters of the sources of Lake Bricchano and directed it to the Trastevere district. In the days of wars, the aqueduct was repeatedly destroyed, but then restored.

After the recovery of Pap Paul V, the aqueduct changed the name on Aqua Paola.

Rome aqueducts are very ancient. Aqua Alexandrina was built in 226 for the water supply to the term Emperor Alexander. The new aqueduct was necessary to ensure the term Alexander North on the Marsfield (between the Pantheon and the Navona Square). The length of the water supply was 22.5 kilometers. Part of the aqueduct survived in the Roman district of Pignattara.

Plumbing and Caesari policies

It is no secret that to preserve peace, calm and satisfying citizens in ancient Rome there was a universal idea of \u200b\u200b"Panem et Circences" - bread and spectacles. So any ruler tried to gain popularity and support of the people. This can be easily added another significant component in the domestic policy with the power of ancient Rome - ensuring the city of drinking water in irrelable volumes.

Water for a long time is recognized as one of the main components to maintain a person's life and not by chance all major cities in antiquity were built just on the banks of the rivers. In addition to the water of Tiber, the ancient Romans used many sources, the names of which reached this time from ancient literary documents or open with the help of archaeological excavations. A lot of them for hearing, for example FONS LUPERCALES - a source near the grotto, where the wolf focused on his milk twins Romulus and Rema, or Fons Juturnae - a source in the Roman Forum, where two bold brothers Castor and Pollux have drove their horses after the battle with Etrusca, and Many other sources. But this was not enough, because Rome was a special city and aqueduct of Rome were its necessity.

Roman terms - hygiene, culture and lifestyle

Speaking by the city-lord, Rome was a symbol of pompousness and wealth. In the era of his heyday, about a million people lived in the city, and on any of them accounted for a thousand liters of water per day! For fun, they carried out shipbatals in intentionally erected natives for this buildings. The most famous of them - Augusta Naughty, built on Trastevere.

Antique Romans, taking the culture and achievement of Etruscan and ancient Greek civilizations as a basis, used with great pleasure bathing and natural sources of water. But this, at first glance, a simple hygienic procedure received a new appearance. The ancient Roman terms were transformed into the places of fun and idle pastime. Libraries, sports halls, swimsters, doubles and various swimming pools, massage rooms arranged in the terms. In addition, there were shopping shops, luxurious pavilions for the adoption of drinks and food, and also corners for religious cults.

Rome Aqueducts on Interactive Map

Our Tips on Rome:

In the territory of the countries of the whole world, there are sometimes amazing structures, the construction of which is sometimes difficult to understand their appearance. Such, for example, the aqueduct. This massive structure resembles a bridge with high arches at the bottom. However, this is not the case.

The construction of these structures began long before the appearance of modern water supply. Back in ancient Rome, in order to deliver water from highly located reservoirs to the fields, aqueducts were built into settlements and other necessary places. Synonym for this word in a narrower sense is the term "water pipe".

The aqueduct is a construction over the expensive or other obstacle to water through the canal or tube. As a rule, the material for the construction of this building is stone, iron or concrete. There was no special mechanism for supplying water: from a reservoir, which is high, under natural angle flowed into the required place.

It should be noted that irrigation aquedures of ancient Rome, and not only Rome were open. While their waterways were built with ventilation and fully isolated from external influence. Such designs can be found around the world: in Vienna, Sevastopol, Paris, New York and other megalopolis and small cities.

The most first are Roman aqueducts. The rapid growth of the population of the city forced architects of that time to incline heads over drawings and develop a project of a structure that could help ensure water needs of people. All sorts of tanks, channels and gateways, interconnected, turned into the world's first plumbing. Water in these capacity came from mining sources located near the city. At the same time, when the road or ravine was found on the path of the rapid flow, then a special arched construction was built - an aqueduct. This architectural solution was widely distributed not only in the Empire, but in the whole world.

The worst structure of this type in Rome was considered the aqueduct named after Claudia. It is not difficult to guess that he was built in honor of the emperor with the same name. The construction of the structure was per century of our era. Rough stones and massive blocks from which the aqueduct was erected, gave him power and power. Thanks to this, many scientists considered the structure of one of the most amazing structures on Earth. There was a plumbing link at the intersection of roads, which, as expected, was expected, led to Rome. The first - Via Labikan. Second - Via Pararanies. The height of the structure in 27 meters allowed to create a huge gate that called the port of Maggiore.

There is also an aqueduct on the territory of modern Russia. This building is located in Moscow. The national name of this miracle architecture is a millionth bridge. Original - Rostokinsky Aqueduct. Once he was the longest in Russia (356 meters) and was built for 25 years. A colossal amount was spent on this process - more than 1 million rubles, hence the name is the millionth bridge. The currently built aqueduct is a pedestrian zone - it is completely renovated and crowned with the roof. There is a building in the area of \u200b\u200bVDNH.

The French department GAR (Provence Province, France) is one of the happiest places where the aqueduct is preserved is an ancient Roman monument. It is called the Garns Bridge - Pont Du Gard, which is built in about the 19th century BC. He gracefully spread over the Gardon River, first known as gar.

Ancient Roman aqueducts performed the role of water suppliers for the population. Hydropower and irrigation systems also obtained a feed from aqueduct.

They are also called waterways. Each of them is a bridge located above the river, expensive or moat. A sufficient width of these structures made it possible to swim freely with ships under them. Material for the construction of ancient buildings was a stone, brick, reinforced concrete, steel. The architects of ancient Rome at the base of the aqueducts used poles - stone, cast iron or brick and coaststosu, on which tubes or cuvettes are placed. So that the structure was more stable, the supports were combined with arches from stone.

Although the ancient Romans were proud of similar engineering devices, invented them first in ancient Egypt. There, the aqueducts were erected with limestone. Their sizes were more comprehended. And the water pipe, which was supplied to the supply of water of the city of Ninevia, of the then capital, was in a height of 10m, in length - 300 m with a total extender length of 80 km.

Nevertheless, already in the 7th century. BC. There were waterways made in Roman style. After 11 of them, a length of about 350 km, a lifeful moisture flowed to Rome. The longest is the aqueduct, located in Carthage, now modern Tunisia - its length is 141 km. But their main part ran underground. An example is an aifel (Germany). This is a structure and now you can see near Cologne, which delivered water for such an underground water supply.

Aqueducts of ancient Rome were built of modern materials for that time, such as waterproof pozzolan concrete. But they were too difficult, despite the exact parameters embedded in their design. For example, the Pont Du Gard Aqueduct Roll is only 34 cm per 1 km, and its descent - 17 m along the sloping line. And this is at a length of 50 km. Such a design allowed to remain modern and after 1 thousand years after, when the Roman Empire had already fallen.

And all because the water was delivered with the help of gravity, which was extremely effective. And much of the experience of the ancient Roman builders is still used. Although, unfortunately, the overwhelming part of their practical knowledge disappeared in the distant years of dark wars. Only in the 19th century, the construction of aqueduct was revived.

Fortunately, the story kept the descendants of the traces of creativity of the ancient Roman engineers. Travelers and today can be surprised at almost jewelry outlines of some aqueducts. Scattered around the world, they are in many current countries. Aquavely Park in Italy and Aqueduct of Caesaria - in Israel, Water Vododas - Naska (Peru) and Hampi (India), as well as Aqueduct Les Ferreres in Spain. They cause admiration for such structures in Turkey - Valentine, in Spain - Segovia.

Irrigation channels, aquedures, dams, bridges - From ancient times, a person created all sorts of buildings - in water, over water, near the water and even under water. Aquestures deserve special attention. These are channels, pipes and waterways necessary in order to provide a city with water, even if the settlement is higher than himself.

Aqueducts could be extended both under the ground and on its surface. In the latter case, the aqueduct was overlapped from above, so that the water did not bring dirt and garbage to the city. Where the aqueducts passed through the aums and, arched spans were built - the real wonders of architecture. These arches had many tiers, which not only looked beautiful, but also ensured the sustainability of the whole design.

Building aqueducts started on yet. The first information that came to our time is the aqueduct, erected in 603 to our era. The construction provided water to the capital of Assyria Ninevia. In ancient and also built aqueducts. But the longest was constructed in ancient, its length of more than 315 kilometers.

Ancient Roman aqueducts, however, do not go to any comparison: they differ not only by the magnitude of the construction, but also scale. Some ancient buildings have been preserved to this day.

The need for clean drinking water forced the ancient Romans to build aqueducts in the IV century to our era. The first built aqueduct - Akvia Apia - reached a length of 16 kilometers. In ancient times, almost one third of the entire empire was supplied with clean water. Aqueducts were extended almost throughout the country and conquered lands.

When the Board of August in the Roman Empire has already numbered about 16 aqueducts, descending water in the city with high hills. By the beginning of the twentieth century, 3 acting (!) Akwyuk - Aquia Maren, Akvia Virgo, Akvia Trojan were preserved.

Better than others has been preserved by the Gar district Aqueduct, which is located near the city of Nima. Its length is 275 meters, height is 48 meters (it is above the famous). This aqueduch was built in 19 year before our era, this is evidenced by the inscription left on one of the walls of the structure. For that time, the construction of the aqueduct was a very complex project, but the ancient builders successfully coped with this task.

The aqueduct under the leadership of a friend and the son-in-law of the emperor of Augustus was built. It is elevated from stone blocks, some of which weigh almost 6 tons. Sometimes the stones are discovered alternately - this is done specifically: the working workers used as a staircase. Of course, slaves were performed all the construction work. The aqueduct was intended to convey water from the source of Fountain del-JUR, which is not far from the city of Uza. Nearly 50-tickleomic structure is stretched by a very complicated area (through high hills and).

Aqueduct is deprived of any decorative details, since its main task is to benefit. Nevertheless, the construction is worthy of admiration. Everything is done in strict accordance with the calculations. Details of the aqueduct are located under the general laws of symmetry, without any retreats. The arches are well released against the sky, and the continuation of the Gardon River is visible through the operating boards.

The aqueduct consists of 3 tiers located over each other. The lower tier consists of 6 arches, each height is up to 20 meters. On the middle yarus, Arch 11, and 24 more were built above them. The aqueduct edges are narrowed in ancient times in them, the aqueduct fell into a water source of a 6-meter diameter, from which pipes diverged in 5 directions.

The ancient residents who did not know about the true purpose of the aqueduct, called him the devilish bridge: it was believed that anyone who would pass on him would give her soul to Satan himself.

Not far from Carthage are the ruins of a large aqueduct (Carthaginian aqueduct), which served water in the city from the ridge in the mountains. The aqueduched has a total length of 132 km. The water was served by a gravity, passing a few large valleys, where the aqueduct had a height of more than 20 m. It was laid by the Carthaginians, rebuilt in 136 N. e. Romans (under the Emperor Adriana, 117 - 138). Under the emperor of Septimia North (193 - 211), the construction was rebuilt again. The aqueduct was destroyed and barbarians restored again. His ruins still amazed with their grand sizes. It was the longest aqueduct in antique times, the second in length is located near Rome.

The Romans considered the construction of aqueduct to be a great achievement in development. Indeed, these buildings are perfect, otherwise it would not come to us alone. Just a miracle that a modern person has the opportunity to admire the creatures of the ancients and evaluate the uniqueness of each of them.