Roman Aqueduct of Serravalle of Chienti

Serravalle del Chienti

The Roman aqueduct of Serravalle del Chienti, accessible upon request, is an important testament to the hydraulic work of the Augustan Age, unique in the Marche region. Built in the 1st c. BC, the collector is about one kilometer long with the purpose of conveying surface water into the underground to control the waters and avoid swamping the territory of the Roman city of Plestia, a strategic center of the Plestina plateau on the trans-Apennine route, frequented by man since prehistoric times. The Roman conduit, entirely made of square travertine blocks, was discovered in 1998 at a depth of 2.5 meters under the walkway, not far from the "Botte dei Varano", a duct having the same function as the Roman one and running parallel to it, made in 1400 by order of Giulio Cesare Varano, Duke of Camerino. Like the Roman canal, the "Botte dei Varano" can be visited upon request.