Rio Tower

Category: Civil Architecture > Tower

District: Beja > Mértola > Mértola > Além-Rio

Location

The Torre do Rio is located on the right bank of the Guadiana River, in the Além-Rio urbanization, in Mértola. Situated outside the walls of the oldest part of the village, next to the ancient Porta da Ribeira, it offers a direct view of the river's flow. Its location provides an opportunity to appreciate the natural landscape of the surrounding Guadiana Valley Natural Park, a setting that highlights the history and strategic importance of this once bustling place.

For visitors, it is important to know that access to the monument is via a more pedestrian path. Although it is an easily approachable site, some sections of the terrain may present irregularities, particularly at the base of the structure, due to rocky outcrops.

Past and Purpose

Classified as a National Monument, the Torre do Rio has been subject to various interpretations throughout history. For a long time, it was thought to be part of a bridge or a system for collecting water from the river. However, recent investigations suggest that its main function was linked to Mértola's defense and port control.

It is believed that this structure was an extension of the village wall down to the river, ensuring vital access to water in times of need. Additionally, it would have played a crucial role in monitoring and defending the river port, potentially even serving to extend a chain across the river banks, thus preventing enemy vessels from accessing the northern area. At the top of its extremity, near the Guadiana, there might have been a wooden crane, facilitating loading and unloading operations.

Architecture and Resilience

The construction of the Torre do Rio dates, with some uncertainty, to the 3rd to 5th centuries AD. The structure extends for about fifty meters, revealing traces of arches and seven robust pillars. It is notable how the pillars, on the upstream side of the Guadiana River, feature cutwaters. This engineering characteristic reveals an intelligent adaptation to the force of the river's floods, allowing the structure to resist throughout the centuries.

The materials used in its construction are a testament to the era: Roman architectural elements, such as limestone, marble, and granite lintels and shafts, were reused and mixed with local stone, schist. The mortar binding these elements stands out for its excellent quality, having remarkably resisted the erosion of time and the great floods of the Guadiana, surpassing, in durability, many of the original stones of the construction.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt