Proserpina

Roman aqueducts: Merida - Proserpina aqueduct (Spain) Merida - Augusta Emerita
For the photo's, see below
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Proserpine aqueduct The Proserpina dam is located about 10 km north of Merida, was build in the first century AD, is 427 m long, 12 m high and is on top 2,3 m broad. It is a earth dam covered with bricks, has two bends in the crest and nine buttresses on the inner side of the dam. Two inlet towers are placed on the inside the dam construction. The water was transported to Merida trough an aqaeduct of 10 km long which entered the north side of the town by means of a aqueduct bridge over the river Rio Albarregas. The bridge has a maximum height of 30 meters. Its span is almost 4,5 m, the pillars are almost 3 x 3 m (10 roman feet = 2,96m). Because of its impressive appearance the bridge is called Los Milagros (the miracles). A number of storks nest on the tops of the ruined pillars of the Milagros aqueduct makes it more impressive still. The modest ruins of the castellum divisorium can be visited in a street some hundreds of metres from the aqueduct bridge ; this is the end of the Proserpina aqueduct.

Wilke D. Schram
How to visit : To visit the Roman dam, follow the N630 to the N direction Caceres. After 5km follow the sign to the left. After a 4 km drive direction SW you will easily find the dam.

Los Milagros is in the NW of Merida after a 10 minutes walk from the train station at the end of the street called Marquesa de Pinares
HOME More literature on more aqueducts Last modified: March 25, 2005 - Wilke D. Schram
(W.D.Schram 'at' romanaqueducts.info)



Overview

Roman Proserpina dam

The Roman dam

Entrance to the inlet

Masonry

Los Milagros 1

Drawing

Los Milagros 2

'Ancient' view on Merida

Los Milagros 3

Side view in detail

Los Milagros 4

Antique drawing

Arcs in detail

Detail of Los Milagros

Public wash-place

Road and aqueduct bridges

Lonely pier

Public use

Castellum divisorium

Drawing

Location of the Castellum