Type Tunnel Ownership Public Region Mediterranean Basin | Cultures Roman Public access Yes | |
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Address Kapısuyu Mahallesi, 31800 Samandağ/Hatay, Turkey Similar Church of Saint Peter, Habib‑i Neccar Camii, Musa Ağacı, Hatay Archaeology Museum, Çevlik Plajı | ||
Unesco turkey 360 vespasianus titus tunnel
Vespasianus Titus Tunnel, located in Samandağ, Hatay Province in southern Turkey, is an ancient water tunnel built during the Roman period.
Contents
The tunnel is situated nearby Çevlik village in Samandağ district of Hatay Province. It is located at the foot of Nur Mountains about 35 km (22 mi) southwest of Antakya, the historical harbor city Antioch on the Orontes in eastern Mediterranean coast.
The tunnel is part of a water diversion system consisting of a dam, a short approach channel, the first tunnel section, a short intermediary channel, the second tunnel section and a long discharge channel.
The construction of the tunnel was ordered by Roman emperor Vespasian (reigned 69–79 AD) to divert the floodwaters running down the mountain and threatening the harbor. It was built by digging the rocks using manpower only. The construction began in the Vespasian time, continued under his son Titus (r. 79–81 AD) and his successors, completed in the 2nd century, during the reign of Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161). An inscription carved in rock at the entrance of the first tunnel section shows the names of Vespasianus and Titus, and another one at the discharge tunnel the name of Antonius.
World Heritage Site status
The tunnel was added to the tentative list in the cultural category of UNESCO World Heritage Site on April 15, 2014.