Every week we at TraveltoLisbon will dive deep into the city archives to show you old Lisbon. How the city used to be, how the people used to be and much more!
This week we travel to Aqueduto das Águas Livres. Lisbon’s Aqueduct is an historic landmark. Built in the 18th century, it covers an area of 18km, but but the whole network of canals extends through nearly 58 km. It was ordered to be built by King John V, since Lisbon at that time suffered from lack of drinking water. Its construction started 1731 and survived intact to the great earthquake of 1755. The aqueduct was deactivated in 1968, but you can still visit it today! The tour includes trip to part of the aqueduct, the water museum and big reservoir built in 1834, Mãe d’Água (Mother of the Water).
The extraordinary arches of the Alcântara valley, which cover a length of 941 meters, correspond to 35 arches in all, including the largest stone arch of this type in the world at 65.29 m high and 28.86 m wide.
Photos from 1912. Source.
Paulo Juntas / CC BY-SA
