Greek Tunnel in Samos, a Curious Island You’ll Want to Visit or Live in the Future or Not

The Tunnel of Eupalinos is A Masterpiece of Ancient Engineering.

And part of it is open to the public.

It’s a very interesting construction story for us civil engineers.

The Tunnel of Eupalinos or Eupalinian aqueduct is a tunnel of 1,036 m (3,399 ft) length running through Mount Kastro in Samos, Greece, built in the 6th century BC to serve as an aqueduct.

Eupalinian aqueduct

Inside the Eupalinian aqueduct.

The Eupalinian aqueduct was designed and built in 550 BC by the engineer Eupalinos from Megara when Samos was ruled by tyrant Polycrates.

In the 6th century BC Samos was ruled by the famous tyrant Polycrates.

During his reign, two working groups under the lead of the engineer Eupalinos dug a tunnel through Mount Kastro to build an aqueduct to supply the ancient capital of Samos with fresh water.

Why underground? It was not easily detected by an enemy who could otherwise cut off the water supply.