Uncle Zé da Silva's Well

Category: Civil Architecture > Well

District: Beja > Beja > Albernoa

Location

The Poço do tio Zé da Silva (Uncle Zé da Silva's Well) is serenely integrated into the landscape of Albernoa, a locality belonging to the municipality and district of Beja, in the heart of Alentejo. Its surroundings are the typical Alentejo plain, characterized by vast fields, sometimes dotted with olive groves or cork oaks, offering an atmosphere of tranquility and a deep connection to the land. This well is situated in a rural setting where time seems to slow down, far from the urban hustle, providing visitors with an authentic perception of the region's rural life.

Its position in the locality of Albernoa suggests an intrinsic link to the daily and agricultural life of the past, possibly serving the needs of a local family or community. The surrounding landscape, sometimes arid, highlights the vital importance of a water source like this, lending it a simple yet significant presence in the natural environment.

A Water Legacy in Alentejo

The Poço do tio Zé da Silva is a tangible testament to the ingenuity and necessity of water capture in Alentejo, a region where this resource was, and still is, of inestimable value. The designation, with the familiar "tio Zé da Silva," points to a personal or community history, suggesting it was built or maintained by a prominent local figure, or that it served the generations of a specific family. This aspect endows the well not only with a practical function but also with a living memory of rural life.

In the past, wells were central points for the subsistence of populations and for agriculture, providing water for human consumption, for animals, or for the irrigation of small vegetable gardens. The Poço do tio Zé da Silva, although modest in its structure, holds within it the history of many hours of work, of sharing, and of the very resilience of those who inhabited and cultivated these Alentejo lands.

Structure and Characteristic Environment

In essence, the Poço do tio Zé da Silva features the functional architecture of a traditional well, built with materials reflecting local availability, such as stone or brick. Its structure is typically simple, designed for manual water extraction, and may still preserve elements like the brocal (the raised rim of the well) or traces of old pulley or counterweight systems that facilitated the arduous task of drawing water. These details, if present, invite observation of the technique and effort involved.

The environment surrounding it, without great artifice, is its most authentic setting. The vegetation may vary according to the season, but the sense of peace and the vastness of the Alentejo sky are constant, inviting a moment of contemplation. Its presence recalls a time when every drop of water was precious and every well a vital point of life in the landscape.

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