[1] Fazello called the aqueduct Conductus pulchrae foeminae (meaning Conduit of the modest woman)[2] Dug into the living rock, it was originally around 40 km long, bringing water directly from Monte Lauro.

In later times it was shortened to a length of 29 km, drawing water from the sources of the Calcinara river, near Pantalica down to the higher parts of the city, near Neapolis.

The work is considered a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering and conformed to the instructions later given by Vitruvius for the optimal slope.

Its construction was certainly difficult, both because of the need to maintain a constant slope and because of the problematic lay of the land, full of ravines and valleys.

Nowadays two other, secondary conduits branch out from the aqueduct, each about 1 km long, called Paradiso and Tre Miglia.