Pegões monumental aqueduct in Tomar. The water-carrying channel


Aqueduct (Aqueduto dos Pegoes), is situated two kilometres outside the central Portugal town of Tomar. The aqueduct was constructed between 1593 and 1613 by order of King Filipe I of Portugal. The monumental structure, which has 180 arches, stretches over six kilometres. Filipe Terzi began the work and Pedro Fernandes Torres completed it. Where the Pegões valley drops down the aqueduct forms two rows of arches, the lower one supporting the continuous upper row. The aqueduct was constructed to feed the Convent do Cristo in Tomar with water and amazingly after all these centuries water still flows along it's channel. As the aqueduct nears the Convent do Cristo it is more decorative with four foot high stone carved columns every couple of metres. An inspection building was also constructed with a square basin inside which was used to purify the water.


Size: 2592px × 3872px
Location: Tomar, Portugal
Photo credit: © Roberto Esposti / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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