Segovia

A local oppidum of central Spain which was an Iberian settlement from about 700 BC. It was taken in about 80 BC by the Romans and occupied at the beginning of the 8th century AD by the Moors, from whom Alfonso VI recaptured it in 1079. It is famous for its grand-scale aqueduct, attributed to Trajan (98-117 AD). The system brought water from a distance of some 16 km. The masonry bridge (El Puente) was used to span the final depression before the city, and is close to 900 m high.

[Roman Segobriga]. A local oppidum in central Spain of obscure history before 80 bc, when it came under Roman control, and famous today for its grand-scale aqueduct. Even for the Roman town, information is not plentiful, but the investment represented by this massive structure must presuppose a city of some size and importance. Attributed to Trajan (98-117 ad), the aqueduct system brought water from a distance of some 16 km. The masonry bridge (El Puente) was used to span the final depression before the city, and is in all close to 900 metres long. The central and highest section utilizes two storeys of arches and is nearly 30 metres high. Guadarrama granite is used without mortar, and the blocks are left rough, showing their raising slots. A considerable section was demolished by Moorish attack in 1071 and was finally reassembled at the end of the 15 th century. A figure of Hercules in the central niche was then replaced by the Virgin and St Sebastian.