This aqueduct was built in the 16th century between 1555 and 1572 to address the water problems of the region. It is located in the central plateau of the country between the states of Mexico and Hidalgo.

It is a grand hydraulic engineering work that exemplifies the combination of construction experience with adobe formwork from Mesoamerican cultures and hydraulic knowledge brought from Europe by the friars.

The Franciscan friar Tembleque undertook and carried out the project with the support of local communities.

The hydraulic complex consists of a water catchment area and sources, a network of channels, a set of reservoirs, and a series of bridge-aqueducts. One of these bridges has the largest single-level arch built in the history of such structures, in addition to solid stone structures, water boxes, troughs, cisterns, irrigation channels, and ceramic pipes.

Additionally, in sections where canyons had to be crossed, six bridges were built over which water channels were placed.

The aqueduct has a length of 48 kilometers, 38 of which run from its origin in the springs at the foothills of El Tecajete Volcano to Otumba, with a 10-kilometer branch that supplied water to the towns of Zacuala and Zempoala.

This construction has two peculiarities.

The first is that it is known for its arches; however, 95% of it is underground, with depths ranging from a few centimeters to two meters.

And the second is the glyphs on the major arches, which consist of religious and military representations of a pre-Hispanic nature made by the builders.