Aqueduto da Amoreira, Elvas, Alentejo
Like the Aqueducto da Agua de Prata in nearby Evora, the Aqueduto da Amoreira in Elvas is another masterpiece by master architect Francisco de Arruda, who also built the Belem Tower in Lisbon.
History
Best seen from outside Elvas' city walls on the road back to Lisbon, this multi-tiered aqueduct is 7 km long, was completed in 1622 and brought water to a marble fountain in Largo da Misericordia in central Elvas. Altogether the structure has 843 arches and is considered one of the largest aqueducts on the Iberian Peninsula.
Construction began in 1537 during the reign of Manuel I. However, the water did not finally flow until 1620 due to a variety of delays. By this time the Spanish Philip II (Philip III in Spain) was on the Portuguese throne.
Where can you see aqueducts in Portugal?
Aqueducts in Portugal can be found in Vila do Conde (Aqueduct of Santa Clara), Serpa, Evora (the Aqueduto da Agua de Prata), Braga (Sete Fontes), Obidos, Tomar (Aqueduto de Pegões) and famously in Lisbon (Águas Livres).
The Aqueduto de São Sebastião in Coimbra runs close to the Jardim Botanico (Botanical Gardens) in this historic city. The aqueduct was built in the late 16th century, possibly the work of the Italian architect Filippo Terzi (1520-1597), who was active in Portugal at the time and is famous for his work on the Convent of Christ in Tomar.
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| Elvas, Alentejo |
Accommodation in Elvas
Pousada Santa Luzia Elvas Av. de Badajoz (Tel: 268 637 470); 25 luxurious rooms in Portugal's first established pousada.
Book the Pousada Santa Luzia Elvas
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| Praça da República |
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