The structure includes a total of 66 main arches and over 400 smaller supporting arches along its course.
The gravity-fed system maintains a slope of less than 1% over its 45-kilometer distance.
The Arcada Mayor, the largest single arch, spans 17 meters in width.
It is built primarily from volcanic stone and mortar, typical of the colonial period in central Mexico.
The project was initiated without official funding from the Spanish Crown, relying on the support of local indigenous laborers.
It is officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2015.
The Father Tembleque Aqueduct, or Acueducto del Padre Tembleque, is a 16th-century hydraulic engineering masterpiece stretching over 45 kilometers across the border of Hidalgo and Mexico State. Completed between 1553 and 1570, the structure includes 66 main arches, with the highest reaching 38.75 meters. The central section, known as the 'Arcada Mayor,' features a massive arch span designed to maintain the water's gravity-fed flow across a deep ravine. It was constructed by the Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque to provide water to the arid plateau of Otumba and the surrounding indigenous communities. The aqueduct is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized for its fusion of European Roman-style hydraulic techniques and local Mesoamerican construction labor and methods. It remains one of the longest and most preserved colonial-era aqueducts in the Americas.
From the valley floor looking up at the Arcada Mayor to capture the scale of the highest arches.
Bring sturdy hiking shoes, as the terrain around the primary arches is uneven and unpaved.
Visit with a local guide if you intend to explore the segments outside the main monument area to avoid getting lost in rural farmland.
Carry adequate sun protection and water, as the area offers minimal shade.
Avoid wandering into private agricultural fields surrounding the aqueduct, as property boundaries are not always clearly marked.
Do not climb on the stone masonry or touch the ancient mortar, as the structure is fragile and subject to strict preservation laws.
