Segovia’s Roman aqueduct: stone with no mortar
Segovia’s Roman aqueduct is made of granite blocks with no mortar between them, and it carried water to the city until 1973.
Before you read
In the city of Segovia, a Roman aqueduct still rises over a square. This text tells how it is built, how long it carried water, and the legend people tell about who built it.
Key words: arcos · argamasa · diablo · gallo
B1 · Spanish from Spain: Piedras sin argamasa: el acueducto de Segovia
Stones without mortar: the aqueduct of Segovia
Tap a word. Hold and slide to select a phrase.
En la plaza del Azoguejo, en Segovia, se levanta una enorme fila de arcos de piedra. Es la parte más famosa del acueducto romano de la ciudad, construido a principios del siglo II después de Cristo. En su punto más alto mide 28 metros, y en total tiene 167 arcos.
Show English
In the Plaza del Azoguejo in Segovia stands a huge row of stone arches. It is the most famous part of the city’s Roman aqueduct, built at the start of the 2nd century AD. At its highest point it is 28 meters tall, and it has 167 arches in all.
Lo más sorprendente es cómo se sostiene. Está hecho con bloques de granito colocados unos sobre otros, sin argamasa entre ellos: no hay nada que pegue las piedras. Y, aun así, sigue en pie desde la época romana.
Show English
The most surprising thing is how it stays up. It’s made of granite blocks placed one on top of another, with no mortar between them: nothing holds the stones together. And still, it has been standing since Roman times.
El acueducto traía agua desde un manantial de la sierra, a unos 17 kilómetros de la ciudad, y funcionó durante muchísimo tiempo: llevó agua a Segovia hasta 1973. Hasta 1992, los coches pasaban entre sus arcos. Ese año empezó una restauración que duró casi ocho años.
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The aqueduct brought water from a spring in the mountains, about 17 kilometers from the city, and it worked for a very long time: it carried water to Segovia until 1973. Until 1992, cars drove between its arches. That year, a restoration began that lasted almost eight years.
Sobre su origen hay una leyenda muy popular. Una niña subía cada día a la montaña a por agua con un cántaro. Un día, harta, le pidió al diablo que construyera algo para no tener que subir más. El diablo aceptó con una condición: si terminaba antes de que cantara el gallo, se quedaría con su alma. Mientras el diablo trabajaba, la niña se arrepintió. Justo cuando le faltaba una sola piedra, cantó el gallo, y la niña salvó su alma.
Show English
There is a very popular legend about how it was built. A girl climbed the mountain day after day to get water with a jug. One day, fed up, she asked the devil to build something so she wouldn’t have to climb anymore. The devil agreed on one condition: if he finished before the rooster crowed, he would keep her soul. While the devil was working, the girl regretted it. Just when he had only one stone left, the rooster crowed, and the girl saved her soul.
Hoy, cerca del acueducto, hay una estatua moderna del diablo. Tiene un móvil en la mano y se está haciendo un selfi con el acueducto detrás.
Show English
Today, near the aqueduct, there is a modern statue of the devil. He holds a cell (mobile) phone and is taking a selfie with the aqueduct behind him.
Source: Spanish Wikipedia, “Acueducto de Segovia” (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts only, our own wording). How we make our texts.
Published: · Text and voice prepared with AI and checked automatically.
Words from the text 15
- arcos
- arches
- sostiene
- holds up; «se sostiene» — it stays up
- argamasa
- mortar
- pegue
- sticks, holds together (from pegar)
- pie
- foot; «en pie» — standing
- manantial
- spring (of water)
- sierra
- mountains, mountain range
- coches
- cars (Spain; in Mexico, carros)
- harta
- fed up
- cántaro
- water jug
- diablo
- devil
- gallo
- rooster
- alma
- soul
- arrepintió
- regretted; «se arrepintió» — she regretted it
- móvil
- cell (mobile) phone (Spain; in Mexico, celular)
Check yourself
What holds the stones of the aqueduct together?
- A strong Roman cement
- Nothing: the blocks are just placed on top of each other
- Metal bars inside the stones
Show the answer
Answer: Nothing: the blocks are just placed on top of each other
The text says «sin argamasa entre ellos: no hay nada que pegue las piedras» (with no mortar between them: nothing glues the stones together).
Until when did the aqueduct carry water to Segovia?
- Until 1973
- Until 1884
- Until 1072
Show the answer
Answer: Until 1973
The text says «llevó agua a Segovia hasta 1973» (it carried water to Segovia until 1973).
In the legend, why does the girl keep her soul?
- The devil changes his mind
- The aqueduct falls down
- The rooster crows before the devil places the last stone
Show the answer
Answer: The rooster crows before the devil places the last stone
The text says «Justo cuando le faltaba una sola piedra, cantó el gallo» (just when one stone was still missing, the rooster crowed).
Practice the words
Think of the meaning, then turn the card.
- arcosarches
En la plaza del Azoguejo, en Segovia, se levanta una enorme fila de arcos de piedra.
In the Plaza del Azoguejo in Segovia stands a huge row of stone arches. - sostieneholds up; «se sostiene» — it stays up
Lo más sorprendente es cómo se sostiene.
The most surprising thing is how it stays up. - argamasamortar
Está hecho con bloques de granito colocados unos sobre otros, sin argamasa entre ellos: no hay nada que pegue las piedras.
It’s made of granite blocks placed one on top of another, with no mortar between them: nothing holds the stones together. - peguesticks, holds together (from pegar)
Está hecho con bloques de granito colocados unos sobre otros, sin argamasa entre ellos: no hay nada que pegue las piedras.
It’s made of granite blocks placed one on top of another, with no mortar between them: nothing holds the stones together. - piefoot; «en pie» — standing
Y, aun así, sigue en pie desde la época romana.
And still, it has been standing since Roman times. - manantialspring (of water)
El acueducto traía agua desde un manantial de la sierra, a unos 17 kilómetros de la ciudad, y funcionó durante muchísimo tiempo: llevó agua a Segovia hasta 1973.
The aqueduct brought water from a spring in the mountains, about 17 kilometers from the city, and it worked for a very long time: it carried water to Segovia until 1973. - sierramountains, mountain range
El acueducto traía agua desde un manantial de la sierra, a unos 17 kilómetros de la ciudad, y funcionó durante muchísimo tiempo: llevó agua a Segovia hasta 1973.
The aqueduct brought water from a spring in the mountains, about 17 kilometers from the city, and it worked for a very long time: it carried water to Segovia until 1973. - cochescars (Spain; in Mexico, carros)
Hasta 1992, los coches pasaban entre sus arcos.
Until 1992, cars drove between its arches. - cántarowater jug
Una niña subía cada día a la montaña a por agua con un cántaro.
A girl climbed the mountain day after day to get water with a jug. - hartafed up
Un día, harta, le pidió al diablo que construyera algo para no tener que subir más.
One day, fed up, she asked the devil to build something so she wouldn’t have to climb anymore.
