Roman architecture has influenced modern architecture in profound ways. In the period since the Roman empire’s fall to modern time, humanity has been influenced by both the beauty and function of Roman style architecture. In my opinion, one of the most beautiful and functional pieces of architecture left by the Romans is the Pont du Gard. Located in Nimes, France, the Pont du Gard is a three tiered, multiple arched bridge that spans the river Gardon and functioned in Roman times as part of an aqueduct.
According to Vitruvius, a Roman architect and engineer from thirty B.C to A.D. fourteen, in book VIII out of a series of ten architectural books, in regards to where the water is being conducted “…if it is of earth or sand there must be vaulted …show more content…
The Pont du Gard, meaning bridge of the river Gardon, is just over 1181 feet at its longest point, just over 164 feet tall, and required the use of over 741,608 cubic feet of limestone now referred to as pierre de Vers weighing over 50,400 tons. (An ancient work of art Site du Pont du Gard). The yellow limestone used to build the Pont du Gard was quarried from the Estel quarry bordering the Gardon about 2000 feet to the left. The limestone was quarried not only for the bridge, but for other parts of the aqueduct towards Nimes, using picks and sharp metal corners. The quarry’s location could have made transportation of the limestone an easy task by using boats to ferry it on the Gardon river. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence on the bridge of numbering points for scaffolding, and evidence of the use of hoists to haul stone up the bridge, exhibiting the skillful engineering the Romans used in construction of the aqueduct. The bridge is constructed with huge blocks of cut stone, held together without the need for mortar except for the top tier of arches which is constructed out of breeze blocks held together by mortar, and crowned with a water channel coated with calcium for the transport of the
According to Vitruvius, a Roman architect and engineer from thirty B.C to A.D. fourteen, in book VIII out of a series of ten architectural books, in regards to where the water is being conducted “…if it is of earth or sand there must be vaulted …show more content…
The Pont du Gard, meaning bridge of the river Gardon, is just over 1181 feet at its longest point, just over 164 feet tall, and required the use of over 741,608 cubic feet of limestone now referred to as pierre de Vers weighing over 50,400 tons. (An ancient work of art Site du Pont du Gard). The yellow limestone used to build the Pont du Gard was quarried from the Estel quarry bordering the Gardon about 2000 feet to the left. The limestone was quarried not only for the bridge, but for other parts of the aqueduct towards Nimes, using picks and sharp metal corners. The quarry’s location could have made transportation of the limestone an easy task by using boats to ferry it on the Gardon river. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence on the bridge of numbering points for scaffolding, and evidence of the use of hoists to haul stone up the bridge, exhibiting the skillful engineering the Romans used in construction of the aqueduct. The bridge is constructed with huge blocks of cut stone, held together without the need for mortar except for the top tier of arches which is constructed out of breeze blocks held together by mortar, and crowned with a water channel coated with calcium for the transport of the