What Roman aqueduct in Mérida, Spain, is known as the 'Aqueduct of the Miracles'?

The Roman aqueduct in Mérida known as the “Aqueduct of the Miracles” is the Acueducto de los Milagros.

It supplied the Roman colonia of Emerita Augusta, the ancestor of modern Mérida and the capital of Lusitania. Built during the first century AD, the aqueduct carried water from the Proserpina reservoir, about 5 kilometers northwest of the city. A later construction phase or renovation is thought to have taken place around 300 AD.

Its surviving bridge is famous for alternating bands of granite blocks and red brick. This opus mixtum construction forms a double arcade, creating a striking pattern that helped make the ruins memorable. About 38 arched pillars remain, reaching roughly 25 meters high along a surviving course of around 830 meters.

The name “Miracles” is not the original Roman name. Medieval or later inhabitants of Mérida gave it the title because the surviving structure seemed astonishing. It was one of three major aqueducts serving the city; the others included Aqua Augusta and San Lázaro. The monument is now part of Mérida’s Archaeological Ensemble, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.