Menu
Everything seems so obvious: you turn on the tap, and water comes out. Here in Segovia, I gaze in wonder and admiration at the precursor of that domestic convenience. The Segovia aqueduct marked a revolutionary breakthrough in water supply in the second century AD. The city's residents no longer had to travel fifteen kilometers daily over mountain slopes to reach a water source. This testament to Roman ingenuity must have made life a lot easier back then. Sure, the water tap was still a distant dream, but this was a significant step forward.
What astonishes me as a layperson is the knowledge and vision that Roman engineers possessed at that time to make this practical marvel possible. A mammoth structure of 167 arches, 120 columns with a height of 30 meters. Just think about it. Oh, and before I forget, not a single gram of cement was used to make it all solid. Incredible. By the way, Segovia is a beautiful historic city about 90 kilometers from Madrid. It is also known for its cathedral and the fairytale castle that inspired Walt Disney for the location of his Cinderella story.
After a delightful tourist day in Segovia, I'm back in my hotel room to freshen up. I turn on the tap, and for the first time in a long while, I appreciate what is otherwise always so obvious: water. Cheers, Jolanda
