The old city of Segovia was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.
One of the most oustanding monument of this lovely and romantic city is the Roman aqueduct.
It is an impressive structure, made of large granite blocks and after 2000 years it still stands straight!
The aqueduct of Segovia is one of the best preserved Roman aqueduct structures in Europe.
It was built around 50 A.D. by Emperor Trajan to carry water from Rio Frio to the city of Segovia.
This masterpiece of Roman engineering extends for 14 Kilometres and the portion of the aqueduct that is above ground is 958 metres. 120 pillars support its two-story arcade. Each of the 165 arches is 9 meters high and 14 arches were rebuilt during the centuries.
During the twentieth century the aqueduct was still used to provide water to the city.
If you want to enjoy a lovely view over the structure as well as over the city, you can climb the staircase next to the aqueduct.
According to a local legend the aqueduct was built in one single night by the Devil. A young woman who was tired of fetching water from the river,would have given him her soul in exchange if he had found the way to carry the water to the city before the sunrise. When the young woman woke up, she realized that the work was almost complete. To save her soul she fervently praied the Virgin who answered her prayers and made the sun rise earlier. The Devil didn’t complete the aqueduct and her soul was saved. For this reason the aqueduct is also known as “bridge of the Devil”
Apart from the legend, the aqueduct that crosses Plaza del Azogueo is really amazing, it is the symbol of the city and if you visit Segovia, you will surely be enchanted.