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Origin and history

The castellam divisorium, or castellam aquae, is a Roman monument built in the first century in Nîmes, in the Gard. In Roman times, it was the culmination of the aqueduct that brought water from the fountain of Eure to the Roman colony of Nemausus, via the bridge of the Gard. After a 50 km journey through the garrigue, the water was distributed throughout the city by pipes, some of which are still visible today. The building was discovered in 1844 and classified as a historic monument in 1875.

The castellam consists of a circular basin of 6 m diameter, initially covered, with 10 openings of 40 cm diameter. Water came through a rectangular canal and was distributed in Nemausus neighbourhoods via lead pipes. Three other openings at the bottom of the basin allowed it to be drained. This type of monument, called dividicula then castella divisoria, was used only to distribute water in the city. Later, these structures became more sumptuous and were named castella.

The conservation of these monuments was entrusted to an officer named Castellarius. The castellam of Nîmes, a castellam divisorium type, was intended to divide the waters according to their use, unlike the limaria, which filtered impurities. Its remains, located on rue de la Lampèze, now belong to the town of Nîmes after a transfer of property in 2008-2009. Water, coming from the source of Eure, crossed bridges and tunnels, including the famous Gard bridge, before reaching this central reservoir.

Ranked among the historical monuments since 1875, the castellum illustrates Roman engineering in water management. Its distribution system, with 10 lead pipes, reflects an advanced urban organization for the time. Today, there remains a key vestige of the ancient history of Nîmes and its hydraulic heritage.

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