Les Ferreres Aqueduct — Gravity Does the Work
Listen at the stop, then read the transcript and follow the sources behind the story.
Listen
Transcript
The Les Ferreres aqueduct, popularly called Pont del Diable, carried part of Tarraco’s water supply across a valley using two tiers of arches. The bridge is only one visible section of a much longer hydraulic system designed around a carefully controlled gradient.
Its popular “Devil’s Bridge” name is associated with later legends found at many impressive bridges across Europe. Those stories are legends, not explanations of Roman construction.
The engineering achievement was less supernatural and more demanding: survey a route, maintain slope, cross obstacles and keep water moving reliably into a growing provincial capital.