The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century AD to carry water over 50 km to the Roman colony of Nemausus (Nîmes). It crosses the river Gardon near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard in southern France. The Pont du Gard is one of the best preserved Roman aqueduct bridges. It was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites in 1985 because of its exceptional preservation, historical importance, and architectural ingenuity.
The bridge has three tiers of arches made from Shelly limestone and stands 48.8 m high. The aqueduct formerly carried an estimated 40,000 m3 of water a day over 50 km to the fountains, baths and homes of the citizens of Nîmes. The structure’s precise construction allowed an average gradient of 1 cm in 182.4 m. It may have been in use as late as the 6th century, with some parts used for significantly longer, but lack of maintenance after the 4th century led to clogging by mineral deposits and debris that eventually stopped the flow of water.
The construction of the aqueduct has long been credited to the Roman emperor Augustus’s son-in-law and aide, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, around the year 19 BC. At the time, he was serving as aedile, the senior magistrate responsible for managing the water supply of Rome and its colonies.
Excavations suggest the construction may have taken place between 40 and 60 AD. Tunnels dating from the time of Augustus had to be bypassed by the builders of the Nîmes aqueduct, and coins discovered in the outflow in Nîmes are no older than the reign of the emperor Claudius (41–54 AD). On this basis, a team led by Guilhem Fabre has argued that the aqueduct must have been completed around the middle of the 1st century AD.
Here is a photographic impression of the Pont du Gard