A tourist has been slapped with a huge fine for snapping a selfie on top of a famous aqueduct in a historic Spanish city.

The man was found posing for a picture on top of the Segovia aqueduct which was built during the second half of the 1st century A.D. under the rule of the Roman Empire. Segovia is a historic city northwest of Madrid, in central Spain's Castile and León region.

It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and supplied water from the Frío River to the city until 1973.

One of the best-preserved Roman engineering works, this impressive construction, with its two tiers of arches, has become a emblematic symobl of Segovia.

The man was 25 metres above ground with emergency services rushing to the scene, not knowing if the man intended to harm himself. 

Pictures show the unaware tourist donning a hat and sunglasses standing on the edge of the aqueduct ready to pose for a snap.

After being identified, he was slapped with a fine of between £1,200-£2,400 by the Policia Local for civil disobedience.

Visitors to Segovia aqueduct must stick to a strict set of rules. Those who are found leaning on the old structure or are caught defacing the aqueduct with graffiti or other paintings could face a penalty of thousands.

It is also an offence to lean bicycles, bags or other materials against it.

In total, the aqueduct runs for a whopping nine miles with many choosing to spend a day walking the length of the aqueduct and snapping pictures of it from different angles along the route.

The towering granite structure stands more than 28 meters above Plaza del Azoguejo - where its pillars reach their highest point and is unmissable at night when it is lit up.

Tourists wishing to visit this famous structure can view it any time of the day or night. If getting to the square via public transport, visitors can hop on buses 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 which all all stop at Loba Capitolina (19). Visitors can then walk underneath the aqueduct to reach the square’s vantage point.