Acueducto

The Querétaro Aqueduct is a colonial-era feat of hydraulic engineering and one of the most recognizable landmarks on Mexico's central plateau. Built between 1726 and 1738 at the personal expense of Marqués Juan Antonio de Urrutia y Arana, its 74 rounded arches stretch nearly nine kilometers across the city, with the tallest piers reaching almost 23 meters — all to deliver fresh water to the growing colonial capital. It forms part of Querétaro's historic center, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, and carries official recognition as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The full arcade is best appreciated on foot along Boulevard Bernardo Quintana in the evening, when the illuminated arches cast dramatic shadows across the colonial streetscape.