Pont d'Aël
| Pont d'Aël | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 45°40′36″N 7°13′20″E / 45.676667°N 7.222309°ECoordinates: 45°40′36″N 7°13′20″E / 45.676667°N 7.222309°E |
| Carries | Aqueduct to Augusta Prætoria Salassorum (Aosta) |
| Crosses | Grand Eyvia |
| Locale | Pont d'Aël, Aymavilles, Aosta Valley, Italy |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Material | Stone |
| Total length | 60.46 m |
| Width | 2.26 m |
| Height | 22.15 m |
| Longest span | 14.24 m |
| Number of spans | 1 |
| Clearance below | 66 m (from bridge deck to torrent) |
| History | |
| Construction end | 3 BC |
  Pont d'Aël Location in Italy | |
The Pont d'Aël is a Roman aqueduct bridge in the village of the same name, in the comune of Aymavilles, in Aosta Valley, Italy. The bridge, constructed in 3 BC, carried water for the agricultural lands of the newly founded colony Augusta Prætoria Salassorum (today: Aosta) across a side valley, 66 m above the bottom. It belonged to a sophisticated, 6 km long aqueduct, running along the steep cliffs of the valley. The originally three-story structure featured a roofed control corridor; notably, it was privately financed. Today, the Pont d'Aël carries a hiking 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.
Bridge inscription
- IMP CAESARE AVGVSTO XIII COS DESIG
- C AVILLIVS C F CAIMVS PATAVINVS
- PRIVATVM
Completed:
- Imperatore Caesare Augusto XIII consule designato
- Gaius Avillius Gaii filius Caimus Patavinus
- privatum
Translated:
- "When emperor Caesare Augustus was consul for the 13th time"
- "Caius Avillius Caimus from Padova, son of Caius, [built this bridge]"
- "using private funds"
Sources
- Döring, Mathias (1997), "Die römische Wasserleitung von Pondel im Val d'Aosta/Italien. Bestandsaufnahme des Bauwerks aus dem Jahre 3 v. Chr.", Mitteilungen des Instituts für Wasserbau und Wasserwirtschaft, Technische Universität Darmstadt 101
- Döring, Mathias (1998), "Die römische Wasserleitung von Pondel (Aostatal)", Antike Welt 29 (2): 127–134
See also
- Roman bridge
- List of Roman bridges
- Roman architecture
- Roman engineering
External links
Media related to Pont d'Aël at Wikimedia Commons
- Mathias Döring: Roman Irrigation Aqueduct in Aosta/Italy
- Homepage of Aymavilles: Pont D'Aël
- Aqueduc.info: L’histoire d’un aqueduc devenu chemin muletier (French)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
