Rome (AP) — Italy’s worst drought in 70 years It exposes the piers of an ancient bridge over the Tiber once used by Roman emperors, but fell into disrepair by the 3rd century.
The two piers of Ponte Nero have been visible all summer long near the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele, which crosses the river near the Vatican. Seagulls are sunbathing on a mossy rocky mountain.
The bridge was built in the 1st century AD by Emperor Nero to reach the gardens near Janiculum Hill, near present-day St. Peter’s Square, said historian Anthony Magianlati. The bridge had already collapsed by his third century AD, and traffic was diverted to the nearby Ponte Sant’Angelo, where pilgrims headed past Castel Sant’Angelo to the Vatican.
The Nero Bridge is believed to have originally had four piers, but according to Magjanlahti, two were dismantled in the 19th century to improve river flow.
“Due to the drought that is sweeping across Italy, the river levels are currently very low, so we can see more piers than usual,” said Majanlahti.
Usually in the year when the water level is high, one pier is often seen in the dry season, but this year, two piers were seen.
The Italian government has declared a state of emergency in several regions due to a prolonged drought and associated heatwaves.The drought was exposed WWII tank A 20th-century ordinance on the Po, Italy’s largest river, and lakes.
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