Why Is Pont Du Gard Important

Words: 952
Pages: 4
Open Document
Halfway through the 1st century AD, the Roman monument the Pont Du Gard was built in France. According to Site du Pont du Gard, it is a three level aqueduct, standing 50 meters high, 50 kilometers long and weighing 50,000 tons. “The bridge is constructed out of soft yellow limestone blocks, taken from a nearby quarry that borders the river” (An Ancient Work of Art). These blocks of limestone, now referred to as “pierre de Vers,” were extracted using picks and sharp metal corners. “The highest part of the structure is made out of breeze blocks joined together with mortar. It is topped by a device designed to bear the water channel, whose stone slabs are covered with calcium deposits (An Ancient Work of Art). This architecture was described as the highest Roman construction in …show more content…
According to Fred Kleiner, “the harmonious proportional relationship between the larger and smaller arches reveals the Roman hydraulic engineer who designed the aqueduct bridge also had a keen aesthetic sense.” The Romans were not very orientalized, and felt the Greeks and other civilizations spent too much money on construction. The Romans were the first to create their own concoction of concrete. They used wooden mold to make walls, opposed to the Greeks who imported marble (Kleiner). This method was more tedious, but saved them money. They soon developed the idea to create “concrete shapes unachieveable in masonry construction” (Kleiner). This is where the barrel vaults and domes came into place, which soon influenced the design and style of the arches of the Pont du Gard. Each large arch on the Pont du Gard has a span of eighty-two feet, and includes two tons each of blocks. “The bridge’s uppermost level is a row of smaller arches, three above each of the large openings below” (Kleiner). The Romans were not only the first to design these types of arches, but the first to build roads and
Show More

Related Documents: Why Is Pont Du Gard Important

Ancient Rome: A Great Civilization?

saying “All roads lead to Rome” is true. When thinking about it, many of our everyday things, Rome created. For example, Romans constructed a sophisticated system of roads, the Senate in 503 BC, and aqueducts in 312 BC. The question being asked is Why is classical Rome remembered by history as a great civilization? Classical Rome is remembered by history as a great civilization in money, entertainment, and inventions. Classical Rome is remembered by history as a great civilization in money. According…

Words 481 - Pages 2

College: Intensive French Language Essay

University of Grenoble Choose from French Language and Culture Program and Intensive French Language Program Grenoble Business School option also available academic year, fall or spring semester business economics fine arts French language history literature political science sociology Eligibility Open to college sophomores, juniors and seniors minimum 2.5 GPA 18 years or older one recent year of college French required for the French Language and Culture Program additional requirements…

Words 6766 - Pages 28