The roman aqueduct can be visited
Ancient BuildingVussem
Roman Eifel Aqueduct
The Roman Eifel Aqueduct near Vussem once supplied the Roman city of Cologne with fresh water. It was part of one of the longest aqueducts of the Roman Empire.
History+
The Eifel Aqueduct, also known as the Roman Canal, was built in the 1st century AD to supply the growing Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, modern-day Cologne, with drinking water. The aqueduct bridge near Vussem was a crucial part of this pipeline, spanning a nameless side valley of the Veybach. In the late 1950s, during construction work for a sports field, two Roman pier foundations were accidentally destroyed. This led to archaeological excavations in 1959 under the direction of Waldemar Haberey. The investigations showed that the bridge was about 80 meters long and up to 10 meters high, with probably 13 arches supporting a channel for the water. Ten of presumably twelve cantilevered bridge piers, resting on deep foundations of mortared greywacke, could be identified. The pipeline was in operation until about 260 AD, when it was not recommissioned after the destruction of Cologne by the Germanic tribes.
Location+
The Roman Eifel Aqueduct is located in Vussem, a district of Mechernich, in the Euskirchen district, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
On site+
A partial reconstruction of the aqueduct bridge in Vussem allows for an impression of the construction method of this ancient structure.
Take Mobile History with you
You are reading this text for free. Premium adds what matters on the road: descriptions read aloud, sites found through your camera, whole regions taken offline.
- Every description, including the ~17,700 Premium sites
- Audio guide: have descriptions read to you on location
- AR finder: see sites through your camera, with distance and bearing
- Unlimited saved sites
14 days free, then from €2.99 a month. Cancel anytime.
Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.
Location: 50.5648, 6.6684