Hadrian’s Aqueduct—the Roman emperor’s engineering project—continues to flow beneath the city. This underground system stretches over 20 kilometres and remains Europe’s longest functional aqueduct. Gathering water from riverbanks and aquifers quietly demonstrates resilience in the face of time.
Now, Cultural H.ID.RA.N.T in Chalandri (Athens) plans to put it back to work. By March, a four-kilometre pipeline connecting to the aqueduct will supply homes, schools, and parks.
What’s the Big Idea?
The project brings three innovative perspectives to the table:
- Cultural Heritage Beyond Monuments: Forget passive sightseeing. This approach revives the practical value of cultural assets by focusing on water. Networks that connect neighbourhoods and establish a “water community” transform aqua into a cultural ambassador. In turn, cultural traditions begin to influence smarter, sustainable water use.
- Community at the Heart of Preservation: Hadrian’s Aqueduct becomes the centerpiece for boosting local well-being. How? By linking better community spaces with participation from residents. Here’s what’s on the agenda:
- Involving locals in water resources and heritage management.
- Building a stronger sense of community through collaboration.
- Creating accessible green spaces so everyone can benefit.
- Breaking the Athens Tourist Bubble: Are you tired of the same old historical centre? This initiative highlights the aqueduct’s presence in district neighbourhoods like Halandri. It moves toward more self-sufficient, sustainable urban growth strategies by showcasing lesser-known areas as cultural hubs.
Its water, categorized as non-potable, isn’t fit for drinking but will serve essential tasks like washing and gardening. By conserving clean drinking water for where it’s most needed, the aqueduct could save more than 250 million gallons annually. Eventually, the plan is to extend connections to all seven municipalities that sit above the network.
Breathing New Life Into Forgotten Heritage
In Chalandri, Hadrian’s Aqueduct is just one piece of untapped cultural and environmental potential. Hidden underground and largely forgotten, the 20-kilometre structure once provided essential water to Athens. However, lack of care and awareness has relegated it to obscurity.
As Christos Giovanopoulos, the Project Manager of Cultural H.ID.RA.N.T., told the media this summer: “The Hadrian Aqueduct, because it’s still functioning, still carries water that is now wasted into the sea. When the new non-potable water pipelines start working we’re going to save 80,000 cubic metres per year.”
Additionally, the area suffers from limited green spaces—just 2 square meters per resident compared to Athens’ average of 4.8. These factors and poor community engagement highlight severe gaps in heritage recognition and urban quality.
To address this, the Cultural H.ID.RA.N.T. program is stepping up. This initiative aims to use the aqueduct as a springboard for wider community revitalization. Alongside irrigation purposes, it will focus on:
- Increasing local awareness of cultural and natural resources.
- Promoting sustainable urban green spaces.
- Reclaiming unused heritage to strengthen community ties.
- Regenerating four neighbourhoods in Chalandri.
Athens uses over 100 billion gallons of water annually, so scepticism about how far this initiative can go isn’t unwarranted. However, the aqueduct won’t just save water—it will also rejuvenate green spaces, providing much-needed natural cooling for the city.
On paper, reviving the aqueduct sounds like a win-win: it would help water conservation, deliver cooler green spaces, and boost local pride. For all its potential, a question remains: Why has it taken so long for this treasure to come to light?
