Category: Civil Architecture > Cistern
District: Faro > Silves > Silves
The Old Cistern is located in the city of Silves, right next to the Cruz de Portugal and opposite the Conservatória do Registo Civil e Predial (Civil and Property Registry Office). It is situated in a large, open, and quiet pedestrian area, where the light-colored small-stoned ground helps to highlight the structure. The surrounding area is spacious and allows for calm observation of the site, being a usual point of passage in Silves' urban daily life.
Despite its integration into the modern context of the city, the cistern maintains a strong visual contrast with the surrounding space, functioning as a discreet yet significant historical landmark in a citadine environment marked by simplicity and functionality.
This circular stone structure corresponds to a water storage cistern, once essential for local supply. Although currently disused, it retains its original shape, with a stone rim and a deep interior. Its preserved state allows us to infer the function it once served, associated with rainwater harvesting or underground reserves.
The cistern is a vestige of the city's hydraulic past, harking back to periods when the utilization of natural resources was done with ingenuity and simplicity. These elements are part of the ancient urban daily life, when supply systems depended on localized solutions like this one.
One of the most striking elements of this cistern is the wrought iron grate that covers it. It features a symmetrical spiral ornamental design, with well-defined curves that form floral and circular motifs. The iron, painted in a light blue tone, reinforces the contrast with the stone and the ground, and gives it a decorative touch that goes beyond mere safety function.
Inside, some spontaneous vegetation can be seen growing around the opening, creating an unexpected dialogue between the worked iron and natural elements. This combination of materials, shapes, and colors makes the cistern an interesting point for observation and photography.
Although discreet, the Old Cistern invites a brief pause, whether to appreciate its design or to observe how a simple utilitarian element has harmoniously integrated into the current urban landscape. The open and less busy surroundings favor this moment of contemplation, making it easy to stop and observe without haste.
The site may go unnoticed by those passing by quickly, but it reveals interesting details for those who look closely. It is a small example of how Silves' material heritage survives integrated into the present, even outside the most visited circuits.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 37.194379327445674,-8.432534912230478
Coordinates DMS: 37°11'39.8"N 08°25'57.1"W
Weather Silves
On-duty Pharmacy Silves
