Published
- 1 min read
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Llangollen
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Llangollen
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal across the River Dee in northeast Wales.
Key Facts
- Location: Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales
- Type: Aqueduct
- Material: Stone, Cast Iron
- Width: 12 feet (3.7 metres)
- Completed: 1805
- Grade: I
- UNESCO World Heritage Site: Yes
Overview
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (Welsh: Traphont Ddŵr Pontcysyllte) is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal across the River Dee in northeast Wales.
Completed in 1805, the 18-arched stone and cast iron structure is 12 feet (3.7 metres) wide, making it the longest aqueduct in Great Britain and the highest canal aqueduct in the world. A towpath runs alongside the watercourse.
Originally part of the proposed Ellesmere Canal, the aqueduct was intended to link the River Severn at Shrewsbury with the Port of Liverpool. However, only parts of the canal were completed due to insufficient revenues.
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a Grade I listed building and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Gallery
