Ali Pasha Aqueduct — The Infrastructure Behind the Fortress
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Transcript
This surviving arched section is often called the Ali Pasha Bridge, but it was part of an aqueduct built in the early nineteenth century to bring water toward the castle. Most of the system was later demolished, leaving this dramatic fragment in the landscape. The name ‘bridge’ is understandable because of its form, yet its job was hydraulic. That distinction matters. A fortress on a hill cannot function on walls alone; it needs reliable water for residents, soldiers and animals. Ali Pasha’s works therefore strengthened the castle by solving an engineering problem rather than adding another tower. The remaining arches are a reminder that the most important military infrastructure is sometimes the least military-looking.