The Valens Aqueduct carries Roman engineering across a valley in Istanbul’s historic peninsula, with modern traffic passing beneath its arches. Known locally as Bozdoğan Kemeri, it was part of a water system that supplied Constantinople and later remained in use through successive empires.
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The traffic passing beneath the Valens Aqueduct reveals how completely the city has grown around this ancient structure. Completed under Roman emperor Valens and put into service in 368 CE, the aqueduct carried water toward Constantinople as part of a larger network.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The aqueduct entered service in 368 CE under Emperor Valens.
- About 900 metres survive, reaching roughly 29 metres high.
- It served Istanbul’s historic water system into the Ottoman period.
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