the 16th-century aqueduct that still supplies Évora today
The Aqueduto da Água de Prata crosses the Alentejo for about 18 kilometres, from springs at Graça do Divor (near the Convento de São Bento de Castris) to the historic centre of Évora. The structure is Renaissance, from the reign of D. João III, designed and directed by the royal architect Francisco de Arruda (the same one behind the Torre de Belém), and inaugurated in 1537. It's one of the few structures of this scale from the 16th century in Portugal that still effectively carries water: part of the city's supply still passes through here.
The best-known and most photographed section is the aqueduct's entrance into the city, on Rua do Cano, where the tall arches gradually decrease in height as the ground rises, and where the oldest houses were built literally wedged between the pillars and into the curves of the arches. You'll walk along the street and see shops, small houses, taverns and workshops that occupy the arch space as if it were part of the facade. It's a rare urban case of a monumental infrastructure being absorbed into the built fabric, and what makes this aqueduct particularly unique among its Iberian counterparts.
On the outskirts of the city and along the route to Graça do Divor, the aqueduct runs through montado and olive groves, with sections visible at various points. There's a marked walking route that follows part of the alignment, walkable on foot or by bike over several kilometres, with stops at the water chambers and isolated arches. It's a different scale of reading: you see the infrastructure in landscape mode, not urban mode.
It forms part of the complex classified by UNESCO as World Heritage (Historic Centre of Évora, since 1986) and has been classified as a National Monument since 1910. It also featured on the biennial World Monuments Watch list for conservation needs. The ideal combination is to see it in the city first (Rua do Cano, water chamber in the upper area) and, if you want the full version, walk part of the surrounding route on a second day.
the whole scene
- 18 km of Renaissance aqueduct, still in use
- designed and directed by Francisco de Arruda, inaugurated in 1537 under D. João III
- enters the city along Rua do Cano, with houses wedged between the arches
- walking route on the outskirts, along the original alignment
- National Monument since 1910, part of Évora's UNESCO-listed Historic Centre
