The Bent Page

The Romans built plenty of things that are still standing. They must have known what they were doing. Plus, they built with stone, big blocks of stone. It’s one of the few materials that lasts thousands of years. In Segovia, Spain, it is impossible to miss the aqueduct. It passes through the middle of the city. I took this photo from the top:

The blocks of stone are massive enough to have their own gravity. Each one has a divot cut into it, which is where archeologists figure a giant metal tongs fit when lifting the stones into space. It must have been an incredible effort to build such things. And just think, this aqueduct carried water for more than 1,500 years. Can you think of any modern systems that last even 10% of that time? Amazing.

Here’s another view, this one taken from the bell tower of an old church.

That’s the boom of a modern crane sticking out across the frame. If the Romans had such equipment, they might still rule the known world. Nonetheless, they didn’t, so like all empires, things fell apart. Still, they left behind some brilliant feats of engineering. Any visit to Spain treats the visitor to a number of Roman sites. I visited one called Italica, which was a Roman city near present-day Seville. I’ll post a photo from there, too.

Segovia has relics from many eras, including romanesque churches, a medieval castle, a massive cathedral, not to mention various other attractions for the historically interested. And the food, well, bring your appetite.