Aqueduct of Eiffel

The aqueduct of Eiffel was one of longest the Aqueduc S of the Roman Empire. It shows the advance of the capacities of the Roman architects, from which the techniques fell into the lapse of memory to the Moyen-âge.

The aqueduct, built in 80 after J. - C., conveyed water for 95 km since the solid mass of the Eiffel (Germany) to the antique quoted of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensum (today Cologne). If all the ramifications are included, its length would reach 130 km. Construction is almost entirely underground, and the water run-off was obtained by the only force of gravity. Some bridges, including one measuring 1400 m length, were necessary to cross the valleys. The aqueduct of Eiffel to the characteristic to have few air portions in order to avoid vandalism and freezing.

History

Before the construction of the aqueduct of Eiffel, Cologne was fed out of water by the aqueduct of Vorgebirge, which conveyed water of the area of City in the west of Cologne. But with the growth of the city, this source of supply became insufficient. The construction of a new aqueduct is then decided. One uses concrete for the channel, and of the stone cut for the arch of couvrement. Its flow was roughly of 20.000 m ³ per day, water which fed fountains and private and public baths. It functioned until the plundering of Cologne in 260, then was never given under operation then, only the aqueduct of Vorgebirge feeding Cologne thereafter.

See too

Roman Architecture (Empire)

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