The German city of Augsburg was Saturday granted World Heritage status by UNESCO for its over 800-year-old water management system boasting an aquaduct, water towers, ornate fountains, canals and hundreds of bridges.
The 2,000-year-old city in Bavaria state calls the systemwhich has since the Middle Ages provided clean drinking water and sanitation an”intricate interplay between the innovative spirit and a technical tour deforce”. The old town centre of Augsburg, located on Germany’s RomanticRoad, is criss-crossed with canals and boasts over 500 bridges, “more thanin Venice”, according to the city.
“The history of water in Augsburg is linked to thecultural and artistic wealth of this city,” Thomas Weitzel, the city’scultural affairs director, told AFP.
“Augsburg considered water such a precious asset thatit has always sought to protect it.”
Augsburg’s resourceful engineers were European forerunnersin damming and redirecting river water, from the Lech, Wertach and Singoldstreams.
Water flowed via an aquaduct and into water towers from1416, making the waterworks at the city’s Red Gate “the oldest in Germanyand also in central Europe”. The water flowed through hollowed pine logsconnected with metal casts to ornamental fountains in the city, including theMercury and Hercules fountains.It also entered the city’s butchers house, theStadtmetzg, where the flowing water helped to cool the meat and dispose of thewaste.