What Does viaduct Mean
Viaduct is a concept that comes from two Latin words: via (which can be translated as "road" ) and ductus (whose meaning in our language is "conduction" ). A viaduct, therefore, is a work developed through engineering that allows the entire surface of a valley to be crossed .
Similar to a bridge , a viaduct can allow the passage of pedestrians or vehicles. That is why viaducts, in some cases, are highways ( routes ). There are also viaducts that are built for the installation of railways that allow the transfer of a train.
Beyond the possibility of avoiding natural barriers thanks to these works , viaducts are also useful in cities to speed up traffic . By opening an airway for the circulation of vehicles, it is possible to decongest the streets and traditional avenues.
We can find examples of viaducts all over the world. In the Chilean city of Collipulli , to cite one case, we find the Malleco Viaduct , inaugurated in 1890 and declared a National Monument a century later. This railway viaduct allows the Malleco River to be crossed .
One of the most important viaducts in the territory of Spain is the so-called Segovia Viaduct, which is located in Madrid. Specifically, within the aforementioned city, it is located in the area of Bailén and Segovia streets, close to the famous Royal Palace.
Made of reinforced and polished concrete, this work, carried out in the 1970s, is the result of the work of the architect Francisco Javier Ferrero and the engineers José Juan Aracil and Luis Aldaz Muguiro. It stands out for its numerous arches and it should be noted that before it there were two other previous viaducts, one from the second half of the 19th century and the other from the 1930s.
It has a maximum height of 23 meters, is a perfect example of rationalist architecture and also incorporates exposed brick as well as concrete.
It has become an emblem of the city, so much so that there are numerous cultural manifestations in which it appears. Specifically, we can find references to it in works like these:
-In the work “Luces de bohemia” (1924) by Ramón María del Valle - Inclán.
-In films such as “Tacones lejando” (1991) or “Los Lovers Passengers” (2013) by La Mancha filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar.
-In numerous television series in Spain such as “Los serrano”.
One of the curiosities that surround this viaduct is that it became the ideal place for suicides to kill themselves. It is established that in the 90s there were up to four suicides a month since it.
In the French town of Aveyron , the Millau Viaduct stands out , whose inauguration took place at the end of 2004 . Built on the river Tarn , this viaduct is crossed by more than 10,000 vehicles every day.
It should be noted that, due to their characteristics , viaducts resemble aqueducts , although the latter are used to transport water between two distant points. The Romans were the main aqueduct builders.