Amoreira Aqueduct

The Amoreira Aqueduct (Aqueduto da Amoreira) is a 16th-century aqueduct (begun in 1537) that spans the Portuguese municipality of Elvas, bringing water into the fortified seat.

By around 1498, the only fountain and source of potable water since the Moorish occupation had been the Poço de Alcalá, alongside the Porta do Bispo. As the well had already begun drying-up, and owing to the difficulty of gathering water from the wells surrounding the town, King D. Manuel authorized a tax (the Real de Água) to fix the Poço de Alcalá. Yet, the attempts did not meet with success, and an idea developed to collect water from Amoreira, some 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) away. Consequently, in 1529 the first works to build the aqueduct were begun. In 1537, then King John III intervened by sending architect Francisco de Arruda to Elvas, to make changes to the primitive plan. Owing to the lack of funds for such a project, the King then authorized the diversion of monies from fines and sales associated with the sale of municipal lands for the project, including some loans from the children's orphanages in Elves and Estremoz. These early problems with the aqueduct's construction, were portents of future problems. Sometime during 1533, the work done by Lourenço Domingues (the receiver for the public works in Elvas, Campo Maior and Olivença) must have been unsatisfactory, for he was discharged on 9 September. Following various diversions of water, the post of Visitador do Cano (Seer of Pipe) was established in 1542. A year later, Diogo Mendes was responsible for the maintenance of the aqueduct, receiving 6000 reais, paid by the town. But, by 1547, the construction was suspended due to a lack of funds, but were re-initiated in 1571. But, on 20 March 1558, Queen D. Catherine recommended that the town work on the aqueduct. King D. Sebastian later authorized the application of a levy on the residents of Elvas, considered equivalent to each's income. Later that year, on 23 August, Sebastian personally inspected the aqueduct and finding the works incomplete, he ordered the Senate (on 29 May 1573) to correct the remaining sections, along with Afonso Álvares. The King's successor would have similar problems with this project; in 1579, Cardinal King Henrique solicited the bishops of Elvas to participate monetarily in the aqueduct's construction.

With the Castilian invasion in 1580, priority was given to the city's fortifications and it was decided, if necessary, to drop the project. One of the conditions made by the Portuguese, during the surrender negotiations of the city, was that the Amoreira Aqueduct be complete. The city looked into new springs in the foothills, sometime around 1602, in order to improve the water pressure/volume. The aqueduct project was restarted in 1606, with the imposition of a new Real de Água tax. But, following various stops on the project, on 5 March 1610, the municipal council solicited the King to re-continue the aqueduct's construction, while proposing alterations in the project in order to provide water to the higher settlements of the region. King Philip II authorized the continuation of project on 11 July 1610, and sent Diogo Marques Lucas to study the plan in order to improve its efficiency on 26 July. Lucas determined the need to elevate the aqueduct an additional 25 palms (1 palm = 22 centimeters) in order to better improve water delivery to the Largo da Misericórdia. The first waters reached into the city gates in 1620, to a provisionary fountain at the Church of Madalena. On 23 June 1622, the aqueduct and Fonte da Misericórdia were inaugurated, but, owing to structural problems with the "completed" project, interventions were needed. In 1625, it was decided to construct hollowed buttresses, filled in with dirt and loose stone.

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