Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Lisboa > Torres Vedras > Torres Vedras > Bairro de Santo António
The Roman Cisterns are located inside the Castle of Torres Vedras, an elevated point dominating the urban landscape of the locality. Situated in the Santo António neighborhood, this site offers a privileged perspective over the city, while inviting an immersion into an environment of great historical value. Its position atop the hill integrates the visit into an area that breathes history and local tradition.
The Roman Cisterns represent a remarkable testament to the hydraulic engineering developed during the Roman period. Built to ensure the water supply to the ancient fortification, these underground structures reveal the capability and intelligence of Roman builders in managing essential resources. Their robust construction, with solid walls and internal linings, aimed at the efficient capture and storage of water, crucial for the daily life of its occupants.
Upon exploring the interior of these cisterns, one perceives the scale of the work and the importance water held for the subsistence of a fortified community. They are spaces that tell a part of the story of how the Castle, in different eras, ensured its basic needs, highlighting the fundamental role of these infrastructures in supporting life and defense of the site.
Visiting the Roman Cisterns is taking a direct journey to the beginnings of human occupation in this area of Torres Vedras. These deep and cool spaces invite reflection on the Roman presence and the lasting impact they left on the region. Their conservation allows for a close observation of construction techniques from nearly two millennia ago, offering a tangible perspective on the life and needs of the populations that inhabited here.
The experience of traversing these ancient water reservoirs provides a unique connection with the past. It is a place that stimulates the imagination, helping to visualize daily life in a Roman fortress and to understand the resilience and innovation of ancient peoples. The cisterns are, in themselves, a valuable historical document carved in stone, an essential stop for anyone seeking to understand the deepest roots of Torres Vedras.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.0952845,-9.2613826
Coordinates DMS: 39°05'43.0"N 09°15'41.0"W
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