Pont du Gard

**Pont du Gard Overview**
– Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge.
– It stands 48.8m (160ft) high with three tiers of arches made from Shelly limestone.
– The aqueduct carried an estimated 40,000m³ (8,800,000impgal; 11,000,000USgal) of water daily over 50km (31mi) to Nemausus (Nîmes).
– Lack of maintenance after the 4th century led to clogging by mineral deposits and debris, stopping the flow of water.
– The aqueduct’s stone blocks were precisely cut to fit together without mortar.

**Pont du Gard Construction**
– Pont du Gard is 49m (161ft) high and 274m (899ft) long.
– Width varies from 9m (30ft) at the bottom to 3m (9.8ft) at the top.
– Built on three levels with a water conduit at the top.
– Stone extracted from a local quarry of Estel.
– Builders left inscriptions on stonework for guidance.

**Pont du Gard History and Preservation**
– After the Roman Empire collapsed, Pont du Gard remained largely intact with a secondary function as a toll bridge.
– Renovations between the 18th and 21st centuries culminated in the opening of a new visitor center in 2000.
– Pont du Gard is now one of France’s most popular tourist attractions.
– Recognized for human creative genius and cultural significance.
– Napoleon III’s patronage in the 1850s was crucial for its restoration.

**Pont du Gard Water Supply and Maintenance**
– The aqueduct supplied Nîmes with water from Fontaine d’Eure near Uzès.
– Traces of a tiled roof, Corinthian columns, and a fresco decorated with fish and dolphins were discovered at the castellum divisorum.
– Deposits of calcareous sinter reduced the flow of the aqueduct over time.
– The aqueduct faced challenges from dissolved calcium carbonate leached out of the limestone.
– The water arrived in the castellum divisorum at Nîmes after nearly 27 hours of travel.

**Pont du Gard Recognition and Tourism**
– Added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list in 1985.
– Popular tourist attraction for centuries.
– Associated with French monarchs seeking ties to Roman imperial power.
– The aqueduct is a symbol of Roman engineering excellence.
– Pont du Gard has inspired various artistic and literary works.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_du_Gard