Kızılçullu Aqueduct

Kızılçullu Aqueducts are a Roman-era water structure located over the Melez (Meles) River in the Şirinyer neighborhood of the Buca district in present-day İzmir. In antiquity, this valley was known as "Paradiso" (Paradise); during the Ottoman period it was called "Kızılçullu," and today it is known as "Şirinyer." The structures were built to transport water from the foothills of Kadifekale (Pagos Hill) into the city and hold historical significance for the region’s water supply.

^{Kızılçullu Aqueducts (}İBB Information Processing Directorate⁾

Available information about the construction of the Kızılçullu Aqueducts is supported by two inscriptions from the Roman period:

• The first inscription dates to 79–80 CE. It states that the aqueducts were commissioned by Mulpius Traianus, father of the Roman Emperor Trajan and proconsul of the province of Asia at the time. The purpose of the construction was to carry water across the Melez River to the temple of Zeus Akraios (Zeus of the Summit) at Değirmentepe.

• The second inscription dates to 110–111 CE. It records that Baebius Tullus, who served as governor of the province of Asia during the Roman Empire, oversaw repairs to the aqueducts. This restoration demonstrates that the structures were in use since the early Roman period and continued to function in subsequent eras.

The structure continued to be used after undergoing various repairs during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. This continuity highlights the aqueducts’ importance not only to the Romans but also to later civilizations.

The aqueducts extend approximately 100 meters in an east-west direction. They were constructed with a double-tiered arch system designed to maintain a gradual gradient for water flow. The arch piers rest on bedrock, while some sections were built on alluvial soil repeatedly washed away by floods. The primary construction materials are stone, brick, and Roman mortar. Some sources suggest that organic additives such as egg white, known for its high adhesive properties, were also used to enhance the structure’s durability.

At the upper level, water pipes operated via an inverted siphon system, channeling water to the second tier of the aqueduct. This technique was a common solution in Roman and Ottoman hydraulic engineering.

Throughout history, the area surrounding the aqueducts has served as an important transit and resting point. It is known that the area now occupied by the NATO building was once used by caravans for lodging and tenting. Although no physical remains of the so-called "Caravan Bridge," believed to have been located near the aqueducts, have survived to the present day, the historical infrastructure of the region clearly indicates its significance in this regard.

The Kızılçullu Aqueducts are one of the rare Roman-era water structures still standing over the Meles River today. Despite undergoing various repairs over the centuries, the structure has largely retained its original character. However, the natural and historical fabric surrounding the aqueducts has been significantly altered by modern urbanization, leaving the structure isolated within an urban environment.