Water-- life giving and essential -- is a precious commodity. In ancient times, you either had to dig a well (and hope to get water) or carry it from a spring or river. And if you live in a city on top of a hill, you have to go and haul the water to your house.
BUT,
what if you could us the natural force of gravity and bring water to your hill city? Such was the case for Évora and thus the aqueduct, Aqueduto da Prata, was born!
About 17 km from Évora there are springs of pure water and they are at a higher altitude than the city at the top of a hill. Perfect for an aqueduct!
The first aqueduct was built in Roman times and a major renovation occurred in the mid-1800's. A trail follows almost the full 17 km length. It was too far to do in one day as you would have to park at one end, hike to the end and then hike back to the car. So, over the 4 months we were in Évora, using 3-4 Preparation days and some morning walks, we followed all that we could! We will tell you our discoveries along the route. Our story follows the aqueduct and is not chronological. We did not do them in order!!!
First a map! There are 3 access points We used access B 2 times -- going both directions. One day we hiked to point 11 and then returned back to access B. We actually didn't use Access A as the end of that part was near to our house and we just walked to it.
In the renovation during the 1800's, instead of using the stone cap, a brick arch was made, increasing the space for maintenance.
You see both types along the route, as they did not renovate the entire aqueduct in the 19th century.
The Source!
There is no roaring river or running springs. Just wells to channel the water into the aqueduct.
We found one well that you could remove the top cover. You could see the channel for the water and a little water flowing.
There are many sections that are just straight lines (though you can see a little curve ahead!)
This shows the 2 eras of contruction -- the rough stones of the Roman time and the smooth dome done in the 1800's.
The trail on the right is basically the same along the whole 17 km. You just walk along the aqueduct which could get boring but for the beautiful landscape, occasional views and some adventures along the way.
They provide an access point to enter the aqueduct for repair, maintenance. At least for anyone else but Janet who would find it too confining and tight!
Each of the towers has a number that gets larger as you go towards Évora.
One of the sections. You can see a cattle guard on the path. Most of the path is along grazing areas, mostly with sheep.
You can see another 90 degree angle up ahead!
We passed many cork trees along the whole length. This one is especially big and has been harvested up into the limbs. Most of the time it is just from the straight truck that the cork is harvested.
Adventure!
On one hike we were adopted by 2 farm dogs. It was near the springs and they followed (or led) us to our turn-around point and back to the car.
We passed one house that had 2 very loud barking dogs as we passed. Our companions gave it right back. We decided they were trying to protect us as they stopped when we passed the other dog's home.
Up ahead is a little ramp to go over a road that passes across the aqueduct. You can see our second companion at the top of the ramp.
Above is a pretty major road that crosses the aqueduct, obviously a necessity for people to get from one side to another. There is an even more major road that is paralleling the aqueduct and houses on the other side need to get out. Occasionally we could see the road or hear the cars.
Below is not just a pretty picture, we enjoyed very much the views along the route, but here we see a fork where the older aqueduct came in from the left and the new one heads right to the headwaters.
They had to build a big wall to keep the aqueduct on an even, downward slant. They made a little arch for the stream to pass through.
Another bridge over the aqueduct. This one provides tunnels for animals or whoever can fit in them. The larger one was ok for us, but you had to duct while walking through.
Or you could choose to take the path up to the road and then down again.
It probably also allows water to flow along the aqueduct during the rainy season.
When the land dips too low to maintain the slant, they have to elevate the aqueduct and will build an arched based for it.
You can see the arches getting smaller and smaller (and it is not just distance) as the land begins to go uphill.
Some adventurous sheep jumped the aqueduct that was acting as a fence for their pasture. Leaving their hundreds of fellow sheep, perhaps they were looking for greener grass.
As we walked along the path, they scurried on ahead of us. But then the path was blocked to them by a gate that we could open, but they couldn't. They sneaked past us and then found a place to jump up onto the aqueduct to get on the other side and then onto their friends in the pasture.
One of them was obviously the ring-leader!
Another pretty view!!!
And now we have come to the end of the largest part of the trail using Access B & C. The aqueduct turns, goes under the highway. The terrain begins to rise as the aquduct goes past São Bento, a large hill/mountain. So, the aqueduct has to go underground to maintain that even downhill.
As we drive to our home on this road, we see the towers above ground and then gradually submerge as well.
The road from our house passes this 'structure'. When we first moved to Évora, I wondered what monument this was and why was it there.
Then we discovered the aqueduct! The aqueduct is emerging from its underground passage! Although we could walk from our house to where the aqueduct comes out of the ground. to save time on a morning walk we drove to it!
The aqueduct 'crosses' under our road at this point.
Here you can see the top coming out (right in the center of the picture). This is the Roman rough stone covering.
This is looking at it further down the trail where it is more clearly coming out into the open!!
A different type of access!
We found an openable cover and here is the water running along!
As the land slopes downhill from São Bento, the arches start to appear.
This was one of our cold morning walks!!! In some places there was frost on the ground.
Below is looking back even further on the trail. In the background is the Convent of São Bento. It is not the type of convent that you normally associate with the word. Here in Portugual, it often means a school or other use rather than Catholic nuns to be sequestered. This is a HUGE complex. In the front are large vegetable gardens and we would occasionally see people working in them early in the morning. It needs a coat of paint and we have no idea if it is actually being used. However, the roof is relatively new, so someone is maintaining it.
Just to the right of the convent, you can see the aqueduct 'monument', a little triangle structure.
This is obviously an early morning walk with the aqueduct casting long shadows of arches.
The height of the arches increases very quickly as the ground goes downhill quite rapidly.
Oh dear!! Call the maintenance crew!!
This is a drippy leak from the aqueduct!
Dennis is catching some of the drops!!
Sometimes the arches are wider. We aren't sure why. Remember this was made in the Roman times and they didn't need to get semi's through it!!
Speaking of Roman times, one of the trail signs indicated that the Roman builder would scratch his signature in the finished columns. It was hard to see, but this is our best photo of it!!!
The aqueduct had to go underground to get past São Bento -- and it has one more hill to cut through, though it doesn't quite get buried as before.
Below still on a morning walk -- this time with the photographer's shadow!
The aqueduct here actually acts as a wall!! You can tell this section is from the earlier Roman construction. .
After this small incline, the ground is downhill the rest of the way to Évora and the climb to the top of Évora's hill.
It is really quite an impressive sight!
Eventually, the aqueduct has to deal with the realities of modern life -- asphalt roads and cars. I am also sure this was the route of the ancient road that came to the city from this direction. The center column is very elaborate and the arches are quite wide. When you went under the aqueduct, you knew you were almost to the city!!
A close up view of the center column.
There is one more place where you can only see, but not walk along the aqueduct. To the right, the aqueduct is on the property of the Convento da Cartuxa.
This morning, the gates were locked.
Later, on a Saturday during his morning run, Dennis found the gates open! There wasn't much to see of the aqueduct, but the convent was impressive.
After the convent, the aqueduct forms the wall of a military base, and is, obviously, off limits as well.
But then, it is nearing its destination -- the top of Évora!!
Below, the road in front circles outside the walls of Évora. On the other side of the trees is a large parking lot. There is, basically, no parking in the city and what there is, is costly. The city has provided large parking lots around the perimeter of the city that are free of charge. That is very helpful for the university students and tourists!
Now the aqueduct crosses the main, circular road. It uses 4 arches -- 2 for each direction. You can see another parking lot on the right side of the road.
And the aqueduct has also reached the city walls and into the city it goes!
The same basic view as above, but this time it is from inside the city walls!!
Land in a wall-locked city is very precious. They didn't let the aqueduct take away their real estate.
Each arch is filled with the front wall of a house. Notice that on the left, there is quite a large space above the house to the arch. As you look up the street (and it is in reality up as it climbs the hill), the open areas get smaller and smaller until the house fills the arched space completely.
Right: View of the same street, but this time looking downhill.
Below, a house filling the arch!
So, what do you do when the arches are too low to build a house???
They become the entrance to a small, inner-city parking lot!!! And I assure you, it is not simple to get in and park. They don't give you much maneuvering space!!
We are going up and up the hill! The arches are getting much smaller, and are mostly filled in with a wall.
While the aqueduct is gradually on a downhill slant, most of the "loss' of arch height is due to the hill that Évora occupies.
Well, we have arrived at the finish line!! This is where the aqueduct ends. Exactly where the water is stored or used at this point, we don't know.
We just know that we walked the 17 km along its journey and enjoyed every step!!
Another view of the building where the aqueduct ends.
And as a bonus, we visited the city of Elvas, about an hour drive north and east towards Spain. It too has an aqueduct. But, the city is so high, that they had to build 4 stories of arches to allow the water to flow to the top of that hill.
No comments:
Post a Comment