Alright, let me tell you about this little adventure I had in Rome, tracing the path of the Aqua Virgo. Now, this isn’t your average tourist story. I’m talking about getting my hands a bit dirty, following an ancient Roman aqueduct right through the heart of the city.
I started this whole thing because I heard the Aqua Virgo was built way back in 19 BC by this guy Agrippa. It sounded ancient, but get this – it’s the only aqueduct in Rome that’s still doing its job today. And it’s just one of those eleven old ones that used to supply the entire city of Rome with water. Amazing, right?
First step: I needed to find its source. I read that it starts somewhere east of Rome, near Via Collatina. So, I grabbed a map, hopped on a bus, and headed out that way. It was a bit of a trek, but finding the spot where this ancient water system begins was pretty cool. It’s all nature and ruins now, but you can almost feel the history there.
- Hopped on a bus to Via Collatina.
- Found the source of the aqueduct.
- Explored the ruins and the natural surroundings.
Then came the real challenge: following the aqueduct’s path. I knew it went underground for a good chunk of its 13-mile journey, so I wasn’t expecting to see much. But I was curious. I walked, and walked, and walked, using some old maps and notes I found online to guide me. The old Romans were serious about their water; the whole system had sedimentation tanks and distribution thingies called castella aquae to keep things flowing smoothly. Also, there are sluices and stopcocks regulated the water supply to individual destinations. It was pretty impressive, considering they did all this without any modern tech.
The Real Surprise
Here’s where things got interesting. I ended up at the Rinascente department store on Via del Tritone. Now, why would an ancient aqueduct lead me to a shopping center? Well, turns out, when they were renovating the place, they found parts of the Aqua Virgo right there, underground! It’s like the past and present just collided. They’ve preserved it, and you can actually go down and see it. I stood there, looking at this ancient structure that’s been carrying water for over two thousand years. That’s not something you see every day.
But the real kicker was realizing that this same aqueduct, the Aqua Virgo, is what feeds the Trevi Fountain. Yeah, that super famous fountain where everyone throws coins and makes wishes. I went there, watched the water flowing, and thought about how it had traveled all the way from its source, through this ancient system, to end up right here. It also made me understand that how complex way of life was developed in the ancient Roman Empire since humans began to develop urban settlements.
It was more than just a walk through Rome. It felt like stepping back in time, seeing how people lived and solved their problems thousands of years ago. And the fact that the Aqua Virgo is still working? That’s just mind-blowing. It really made me appreciate the simple things, like having clean water, and the incredible engineering feats of the past. I gotta say, this little adventure was one of the most memorable things I’ve done in Rome.
