Santo Antão do Tojal Aqueduct

Category: Civil Architecture > Aqueduct

District: Lisboa > Loures > Santo Antão do Tojal > Quinta do Aqueduto

Location

The Aqueduct of Santo Antão do Tojal is located in the locality of the same name, in the municipality of Loures, extending through the area known as Quinta do Aqueduto. Its striking structure integrates into the landscape, revealing itself both in more urban areas and in sections that cross green spaces.

Partially visible along National Road 115, its presence invites a perspective on how historical engineering manifests itself in daily life. It is a point that allows for contemplating the harmony between human work and the region's natural and built environment.

An 18th-Century Work

Built in 1728, the Aqueduct of Santo Antão do Tojal is a remarkable example of the hydraulic engineering of its time. Its construction was directed by the Italian architect António Canevari, a figure of relevance in Portuguese Baroque architecture, who was also involved in the initial stages of the famous Águas Livres Aqueduct in Lisbon, built after this work in Tojal.

With a course extending for about two kilometers, this aqueduct was designed for an essential purpose: to transport water from its source, located in Pintéus, to the village of Santo Antão do Tojal. The water supplied an important palatial complex of the time, as well as the fountains that supplied the local community, demonstrating its importance for the development and life of the region.

Architectural and Landscape Legacy

The aqueduct's structure is characterized by its simple archways, which rise over robust pillars. Although there are underground sections, it is the aerial part, with its succession of arches, that most imposes itself on the landscape, giving it a distinct visual presence. Even with some sections currently interrupted, the work maintains its expressiveness and historical value.

Classified as a Monument of Public Interest, the Aqueduct of Santo Antão do Tojal is a testament to the technical capacity and vision of a past era. We invite you to appreciate this impressive construction, an element that, by its scale and history, enriches the cultural heritage of the Loures area and reminds us of the fundamental connection between water and the development of communities.

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