Pont d'Aël

About

The Pont d'Aël (French pronunciation: [pɔ̃ dɛl]) is a Roman aqueduct located in a village of the same name in the comune of Aymavilles in Aosta Valley, northern Italy. It was built in the year 3 BC for irrigation purposes and supplying water for the newly founded colony of Augusta Praetoria, which is now known as Aosta. The water was directed through a neighbouring valley 66 m above the floor of the Aosta valley, through a sophisticated system. The aqueduct is 6 km long in total. In addition to its unusual position, the construction, which was originally thought to be a three-story structure, shows more unique features such as a control corridor below the water line, as well as explicit private funding. Today, the water channel of the aqueduct serves as a public walking trail. Besides the Pont d'Aël, two other Roman bridges in the Aosta valley are still intact: the Pont Saint-Martin in the town of the same name and the Pont de Pierre in Aosta.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.