The Pont du Gard

No amount of fame can diminish the first sight of the 2,000-year-old Pont du Gard. The Romans considered it the best testimony to the greatness of their Empire, and at 48 m (157.4 ft) it was the highest bridge they ever built.

It is made from blocks of stone, hauled into place with an ingenious system of pulleys and a vast phalanx of slave labour. The huge build up of calcium in the water channels suggests that the aqueduct was in continuous use for 400-500 years.

A dizzy view can be had by walking along the very top of the aqueduct, which originally carried water to Nimes along a 50 km (31 mile) route from the springs at Uzes.

The back of the 5 euro showing Pont du Gard.