Last visit to the Larnanca Post Office to send "stuff" home...
After dropping off a parcel at the local Post Office in Larnaca, I went to see the aqueduct, known locally as “The Kamares†or “The Archesâ€, on the western side of town…
I had ridden past it on a number of occasions but had never stopped to take a closer look at this structure…
Few of the local people I spoke to, seemed to know that this aqueduct, despite being of Roman design, was actually built by the Ottomans in 1746 to bring water from a nearby river to the town…
Abu Bakir Pasha, who was at various stages of his long life, the Governor of the Ottoman Provinces of Egypt, Jeddah, Cyprus and present day Bosnia, built the aqueduct using his own personal funds…
He was considered one of the most productive and enlightened Ottoman statesman of his time… He died in 1758, at the age of 88 and is buried in Istanbul…
I parked the bike on the southern side of the aqueduct, in a quiet residential street that ran alongside it, and walked around the massive buttresses that held the channel through which water once flowed…
The Larnaca Aqueduct, built by the Ottomans in 1746...
The original waterworks were almost 10 km long, and consisted of a series of tunnels and three sets of these overland arches…
The aqueduct was damaged by one of the many earthquakes that have left Cyprus “shaken and stirred†throughout the ages… I was amazed to discover that it was repaired and maintained, and still in use up until 1950…!!
That is what I call “standing the test of timeâ€â€¦!!
A lot of effort went into bringing water to the city...!! The structure is huge...!!
©GBWT 2010
Some interesting history you have shared with us while in Cyprus. Thanks.
Mark, now we know where to go and i am going there with my bike since Ronnie was there 😉