Valens Aqueduct

Valens Aqueduct Review

A Roman city needed its aqueduct, and Constantinople, which seriously lacked drinking water, finally got one in 375 under Emperor Valens. The aqueduct, which was just one element of a well-engineered water distribution system that extended for miles, was restored in the 16th century by the Ottoman architect Sinan and continued to function well into the Ottoman era. The best and most dramatic surviving section is that near Sehzade Mosque, where Atatürk Bulvari, a major urban thoroughfare, passes through the great arches of the aqueduct—still one of Istanbul's most significant landmarks.