Tarragona Aqueduct

The stunning Tarragona Aqueduct (also known as the Les Ferreres Aqueduct) is the last remaining section of the ancient aqueduct which served the Roman city of Tarraco.

History of the Tarragona Aqueduct

Also known as Pont de les Ferreres or Pont del Diable, it is believed to have been built in the first century AD during the reign of the Emperor Augustus. The original Roman aqueduct ran for over 25km and took water from the river Francoli all the way to the city of Tarraco.

Most of the aqueduct fell to ruin after the fall of the Empire but the impressive surviving section, which spans a small valley about 4km to the north of modern Tarragona, was preserved and restored over the centuries – including by caliph Abd-el Rahman III and later repairs in the 18th century.

As an interesting side-fact, the Pont de les Ferreres is also widely known as the or Pont del Diable – meaning the Devil’s Bridge because of a local legend which says it was constructed by the Devil after winning a bet in which a fair lady bet her soul. Dark stuff…

The Tarragona Aqueduct today

Today the Tarragona Aqueduct is a beautiful site to visit, nestling as it does in the green valleys and picturesque hills of the Spanish countryside. The remaining section rises a colossal 90 feet from the ground at its highest point, and has an upper tier containing 25 arches with 11 underneath. Tours are available to take visitors across the bridge, though they’re not for the faint-hearted!

Getting to the Tarragona Aqueduct

The best remaining stretch lies a few kilometres north of Tarragona itself, just off AP7. There’s parking off the N240 and plenty of footpaths to wander round in order to catch the best views of the aqueduct from the surrounding countryside.