Aqueduc de Barbegal (restes)
MonumentHidden Treasure
Aqueduc de Barbegal (restes), located in Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.7083, 4.7065
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081120
A striking vestige of Roman engineering in Provence, the Barbegal aqueduct supplied water to ancient Arles and housed one of the largest hydraulic mill complexes in the ancient world.
History
In the heart of the inland Camargue, between the Alpilles and the Arles plain, the ruins of the Barbegal aqueduct stand out in the garrigue landscape like so many teeth of golden stone. This is no ordinary aqueduct: it was the lifeblood of Arelate, the great Roman city we now call Arles, and is one of the most spectacular examples of ancient hydraulic engineering on French soil. What sets Barbegal apart from all the other aqueducts in Gaul is the presence, at its southern end, of a group of water mills arranged in a cascade in two parallel rows. Sixteen waterwheels superimposed over a difference in level of around twenty metres produced a grinding power estimated to be capable of feeding several tens of thousands of people. No other industrial installation of Western Antiquity can rival this organisation. Archaeologists see it as one of the first "factories" in human history. A visit to the remains of the aqueduct is both a scholarly and contemplative experience. Walkers follow the route of the structure between the olive trees and pine forests of the Alpilles, gradually uncovering the gutted pillars, the partially preserved arches and the canals cut into the rock. Each fragment of masonry tells the story of an engineer's decision, a slope calculation, a civic ambition of the empire at its height. The natural setting amplifies the feeling of travelling back in time. Les Baux-de-Provence looms on the rocky ridge not far away, and the light of Provence - the same light that Van Gogh painted a millennium and a half later a few kilometres away - bathes the ochre stones in a glow that seems to defy the centuries. Photographers and lovers of ancient history will find here a rare opportunity for contemplation, far from the tourist hustle and bustle of the big cities.
Architecture
The Barbegal aqueduct was built using classic Roman civil engineering techniques: pillars made of opus incertum and small local limestone units, linked by semi-circular arches whose regularity testifies to a consummate mastery of layout and levelling. The water-carrying channel - the specus - ran along the top of the arches, coated with a hydraulic mortar made from crushed tiles (opus signinum) that perfectly waterproofed the masonry. The most striking structural feature is the bifurcation of the canals at Barbegal itself: the aqueduct splits to feed two parallel series of cascading basins, each housing a vertical waterwheel. The total difference in level exploited is around twenty metres over a length of around one hundred metres, which gave the wheels sufficient hydraulic power to drive the volcanic stone millstones. The remains of the buildings housing each mill, built from Alpilles limestone blocks, are still partially visible on the ground. The arches that have survived are several metres high in places, allowing us to appreciate the functional elegance of the construction: no superfluous ornamentation, but an economy of means and structural efficiency that make this work a masterpiece of ancient engineering. The blond limestone, typical of the Alpilles quarries, has acquired a golden patina over time, blending harmoniously with the surrounding Provencal landscape.
Related Figures
Jules César — fondateur de la cité d'Arelate en 46 av. J.-C., dont le développement fut à l'origine des besoins en eau justifiant la construction de l'aqueducFernand Benoit — archéologue provençal du XXe siècle, directeur des Antiquités de Provence, qui mena les premières fouilles systématiques du complexe de moulins dans les années 1940Léon Renier — épigraphiste et archéologue du XIXe siècle ayant contribué aux premiers inventaires des monuments antiques de Gaule NarbonnaiseProsper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, dont l'action nationale prépara le classement des grands sites antiques de Provence en 1886Ordre des ingénieurs romains (corpus des agrimensores) — corps technique impérial dont les méthodes de nivellement et de tracé sont à l'origine de la prouesse hydraulique de Barbegal
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Aqueduc de Barbegal (restes) located?
Aqueduc de Barbegal (restes) is located in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
Is Aqueduc de Barbegal (restes) open to visitors?
Aqueduc de Barbegal (restes) is currently closed to visitors.