Budapest (Aquincum): The Roman Aqueduct

  

A small section of a Roman aqueduct has been preserved in Budapest. It is in the north western part of the city, more precisely between the civilian amphitheatre and the archaeological museum, also known as Aquincum Museum.

Today a modern road runs along the aqueduct, sometimes on both sides of the ancient construction. The longer sections of the aqueduct stand like a divider between the two directions of the traffic, going north out of town, going south into town.

If you come to this part of Budapest to visit the civilian amphitheatre and the archaeological museum, make sure you also take a look at the ancient Roman aqueduct in the middle of the road. Watch out for the traffic, if you want to get close to the ancient monument!

 

This short section of the Roman aqueduct stands alone.

 

In this picture you can see one of the arches which carried the water channel on their back.

  

The water channel of the aqueduct.

 

This short section of the aqueduct stands alone.

 

Above:the water channel; below: one of the arches.

 

When you get to the longer sections of the aqueduct,
you are opposite the museum and the archaeological park.

 

The longer sections of the Roman aqueduct stand as a divider
between the two directions of the traffic.
This picture shows the western side of the road
where the traffic is going south (into town).

 

Above: the water channel; below: five arches in a row.

 

The aqueduct seen from the western side of the road: five arches in a row,

 

Above: the water channel; below: three arches.

 

This section of the aqueduct has six arches in a row.
In this picture the aqueduct is seen from the eastern side of the road
where the traffic is going north (out of town).

 

For more information about Roman aqueducts, please turn to chapter 11 of
The Oxford Handbook of Engineering and Technology in the Classical World,
edited by John Peter Oleson (hardcover 2008, paperback 2010),
with further bibliography.

 

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