Outside the Aqueduct of Valens in Istanbul
I got back to Istanbul from Bursa in the evening and I just wanted to go have a nice dinner since I will be leaving the day after next. I ended up at a nice little area in the Fatih district, not too far from my hotel. I did end up eating at a nice and affordable place here. But it seems that I got a little bonus. This area apparently it right beside a well preserved aqueduct. The Aqueduct of Valens is one of a few aqueducts in the city. To understand this, remember that Istanbul, or Constantinople was formerly a territory of the Byzantine empire. The Romans have always had a system of bringing water into the cities they have and the most common structure used is the aqueduct. Valens is honoring the Roman emperor Valens in whose reign was the aqueduct completed.
Chilling at the Aqueduct of Valens
The aqueduct is a marvel of engineering since it totally relies on gravity to ferry water from far away places. This is accomplished by having one end of the system higher than the terminal points. The system gradually slopes down which effectively brings the water downstream. The aqueduct of Valens is part of a large system of water works which is considered to be the longest of its time. The growth of Constantinople meant that there was a greater need for water in the city and thus was the system of aqueducts was born. The system was maintained by the Ottomans when they captured Constantinople. These days that aqueduct is beautifully preserved and it sits as a magnificent backdrop to one of Fatih district best places to hang out in.
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