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— CH. 1 · ENGINEERING THE AQUEDUCT ROUTE —

Pont du Gard

~5 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
5 sections

  • The Roman aqueduct from Fontaine d'Eure near Uzès to Nemausus (Nîmes) passes over the Pont du Gard, and many other significant bridges. The location of Nemausus was somewhat inconvenient when it came to providing a water supply. Plains lie to the city's south and east, where any sources of water would be at too low an altitude to flow to the city. Hills to the west made a water supply route too difficult from an engineering point of view. The only real alternative was to look north toward the area around Ucetia. Natural springs there offered the best chance for a steady flow.

    The straight-line distance between the two cities is about 50 kilometers. The aqueduct takes a winding route measuring around 50 kilometers as well. This detour circumvents the southernmost foothills of the Massif Central. These hills are known as the Garrigues de Nîmes. They are covered in dense vegetation and garrigue. Deep valleys indent the landscape. It was impractical for Romans to tunnel through these hills. A tunnel would have required a length between 3 and 4 kilometers depending on the starting point.

    A roughly V-shaped course around the eastern end of the Garrigues de Nîmes became the practical solution. The Fontaine d'Eure sits at 128 meters above sea level. It is only 19 meters higher than the repartition basin in Nîmes. This small elevation difference provided sufficient gradient to sustain a steady flow of water to the 50,000 inhabitants of the Roman city. The aqueduct's average gradient is only 1 in 3,000. It varies widely along its course but is as little as 1 in 20,000 in some sections.

  • The Pont du Gard contains an estimated 50,400 tons of limestone with a volume of some 42,000 cubic meters. Some individual blocks weigh up to 6 tons. Most stone came from the local quarry of Estel located approximately 1 kilometer downstream on the banks of the Gardon River. Coarse-grained soft reddish shelly limestone known locally as Pierre de Vers lends itself very well to dimension stone production. Blocks were precisely cut to fit perfectly together by friction and gravity. Builders eliminated the need for mortar.

    Builders left inscriptions on stonework conveying various messages and instructions. Many blocks were numbered and inscribed with required locations such as fronte dextra or fronte sinistra. These guides directed builders during assembly. A surveyor or mensor planned the route using a groma for sighting. He used the chorobates for leveling and a set of measuring poles five or ten Roman feet long. His figures and perhaps diagrams were recorded on wax tablets later written up on scrolls.

    Builders made extensive use of cranes and block and tackle pulleys to lift stones into place. Much work could have been done using simple sheers operated by a windlass. For largest blocks a massive human-powered treadmill was used. Such machines remained in use in quarries of Provence until start of 20th century. A complex scaffold supported bridge while being built. Large blocks left protruding from bridge to support frames and scaffolds used during construction.

  • Construction of aqueduct has long credited to Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa around year 19 BC. Newer excavations suggest construction may have taken place between 40 and 60 AD. Coins discovered in outflow in Nîmes are no older than reign of emperor Claudius. Team led by Guilhem Fabre argues aqueduct must have completed around middle of first century AD. Believed to take about fifteen years building employing between 800 and 1,000 workers.

    From fourth century onwards maintenance neglected as successive waves invaders disrupted region. Aqueduct became clogged with debris encrustations plant roots greatly reducing flow water resulting deposits conduit consisting layers dirt organic material up to 30 centimeters thick each wall. Analysis originally suggested continued supply until late ninth century but more recent investigations suggest gone out use about sixth century though parts continued used significantly longer.

    Pont du Gard remained largely intact due to use toll bridge across valley. Thirteenth century French king granted seigneurs Uzès right levy tolls using bridge. Right later passed Bishops Uzès. Return responsible maintaining bridge good repair suffered serious damage during 1620s Henri Duke Rohan made use bridge transport artillery wars between French royalists Huguenots. Duke had one side second row arches cut away depth about one-third original thickness.

  • In 1703 local authorities renovated Pont du Gard repair cracks fill ruts replace stones lost previous century. New bridge built engineer Henri Pitot 1743-47 next arches lower level so road traffic could cross purpose-built bridge. Novelist Alexandre Dumas strongly critical construction new bridge commenting reserved eighteenth century dishonour monument barbarians fifth dared destroy. Pont du Gard continued deteriorate time Prosper Mérimée saw it 1835 serious risk collapse erosion loss stonework.

    Napoleon III visited Pont du Gard 1850 took close interest approved plans architect Charles Laisné repair bridge project carried out 1855-1858 funding provided Ministry State. Work involved substantial renovations including replacing eroded stone infilling piers concrete aid stability improving drainage separating bridge aqueduct. Stairs installed one end conduit walls repaired allowing visitors walk along conduit itself reasonable safety.

    Bridge long association French monarchs seeking associate themselves symbol Roman imperial power King Charles IX visited 1564 during Grand Tour France greeted grand entertainment laid vicomte Uzès twelve young girls dressed nymphs came cave riverside near aqueduct presented king pastry preserved fruits. Century later Louis XIV court visited Pont du Gard January 1660 shortly signature Treaty Pyrenees. 1786 great-great-great-grandson Louis XVI commissioned artist Hubert

  • Robert produce set paintings Roman ruins southern France hang king's new dining room Palace Fontainebleau including picture depicting Pont du Gard idealised landscape commission meant reassert ties French monarchy imperial past.

    By 1990s Pont du Gard hugely popular tourist attraction congested traffic vehicles still allowed drive over 1743 road bridge cluttered illegally built structures tourist shops lining river banks architect Jean-Paul Viguier put appetite gain transformed Pont du Gard fairground attraction. 1996 General Council Gard département began major four-year project improve area sponsored French government conjunction local sources UNESCO EU entire area around bridge pedestrianised new visitor centre built north bank design Jean-Paul Viguier.

Common questions

When was the Pont du Gard aqueduct bridge built?

Construction of the Pont du Gard took place between 40 and 60 AD according to newer excavations. Team led by Guilhem Fabre argues the aqueduct must have been completed around the middle of the first century AD.

How far does the Roman aqueduct from Fontaine d'Eure travel to Nemausus?

The straight-line distance between the two cities is about 50 kilometers while the aqueduct takes a winding route measuring around 50 kilometers as well. This detour circumvents the southernmost foothills of the Massif Central known as the Garrigues de Nîmes.

What materials were used to construct the Pont du Gard bridge?

The Pont du Gard contains an estimated 50,400 tons of limestone with a volume of some 42,000 cubic meters. Most stone came from the local quarry of Estel located approximately 1 kilometer downstream on the banks of the Gardon River.

Who designed the modern renovation project for the Pont du Gard in the 1990s?

Architect Jean-Paul Viguier put appetite gain transformed the Pont du Gard fairground attraction into a pedestrianized area. The General Council of Gard département began a major four-year project starting in 1996 sponsored by the French government and UNESCO.

Why did the Pont du Gard remain largely intact after the fall of Rome?

Pont du Gard remained largely intact due to use as a toll bridge across the valley. Thirteenth century French king granted seigneurs Uzès right to levy tolls using the bridge which later passed to Bishops of Uzès responsible for maintaining it in good repair.

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All sources

44 references cited across the entry

  1. 1webEPCC du Pont du Gard2008
  2. 2webMap of the Roman Aqueduct to NîmesAthena Review
  3. 3webPont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
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  5. 5journalHydraulics of Large Culvert beneath Roman Aqueduct of NîmesH. Chanson — 1 October 2002
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  9. 9bookLuminous debris: reflecting on vestige in Provence and LanguedocGustaf Sobin — University of California Press — 1999
  10. 10journalThe Aqueduct at Pont du GardAthena Publications
  11. 11bookScience and Technology in World History, Volume 1: The Ancient World and Classical CivilizationDavid Deming — McFarland — 2010
  12. 12bookLes travaux publics, les mines et la métallurgie aux temps des Romains, la tradition romaine jusqu'à nos joursAlfred Léger — Impr. J. Dejey & cie — 1875
  13. 13bookMichelin Green Guide ProvenceMichelin Travel Publications — 2008
  14. 14journalL'aqueduc romain de Nîmes et le Pont du GardGuilhem Fabre et al. — 1989
  15. 15webPont du Gard – An ancient work of artSite du Pont du Gard
  16. 16journalLa carrière romaine de L'Estel près du Pont du GardJean-Claude Bessac et al. — 1 January 2002
  17. 17journalDonnées et hypothèses sur les chantiers des carrières de l'Estel près du Pont du GardJean-Claude Bessac — 1992
  18. 18bookThe cathedral buildersJean Gimpel — Pimlico — 1993
  19. 19journalRéflexions sur la construction du Pont du GardJean-Louis Paillet — 1 January 2005
  20. 20bookRoman BridgesColin O'Connor — Cambridge University Press — 1993
  21. 21bookThe Pont du Gard : water and the Roman townGuilhem Fabre — Caisse nationale des monuments historiques et des sites — 1992
  22. 22bookLe Pont du Gard et l'aqueduc de NîmesEmile Espérandieu — H. Laurens — 1926
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  26. 26journalInterdisciplinary Research on the Aqueduct of Nimes and the Pont du GardGuilhem Fabre et al. — 1991
  27. 27bookRussia & Europe in the Nineteenth CenturyEdward Strachan et al. — Sphinx Fine Art — 2008
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  30. 30bookWater Technology in the Middle Ages: Cities, Monasteries, and Waterworks after the Roman EmpireRoberta J. Magnusson — The Johns Hopkins University Press — 2001
  31. 31journalDescription of the Pont du GardGeorge Rennie — 1855
  32. 32bookThe World's HeritageUNESCO — Collins — 2012
  33. 33bookProvence and the Côte d'AzurPaul Stirton — A&C Black Publishers Ltd — 2003
  34. 34bookThe great wonders of the world: from the pyramids to the Crystal PalaceArthur C. Wigan — George Routledge and Sons — 1856
  35. 35bookMonuments historiques du GardEugène Laval — impr. de Soustelle-Gaude — 1853
  36. 36bookRousseau and FreedomMcDonald, Christie et al. — Cambridge University Press — 2010
  37. 37bookArchitecteJean-Paul Viguier — Odile Jacob — 2009
  38. 38webPresentation works of Pont du GardSite du Pont du Gard
  39. 39newsEuro Bill Hits a High Note With Folks in Small French TownJohn Schmid — 2001-08-22
  40. 40wikisourceLes ConfessionsJean-Jacques Rousseau — Launette — 1889
  41. 41bookThe Confessions and Correspondence, Including the Letters to MalesherbesJean-Jacques Rousseau — UPNE — 1998
  42. 42bookCollected Travel Writings: The Continent. A little tour in France ; Italian hours ; other travelsHenry James — Library of America — 1993
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  44. 44bookMany citiesHilaire Belloc — Constable — 1928