Why it deserves a visit
Built between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to supply Elvas, the aqueduct extends for kilometres and rises to four tiers of arches in its monumental approach to the city.
What to look for
Built to solve Elvas’s water supply, the aqueduct reaches four tiers of arches in its most monumental section. Successive arches, galleries and changes of level reveal work extended across the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Plan your visit
There is no single interior circuit: the aqueduct is seen from several public points. Choose safe viewpoints, avoid road verges and connect the structure with Elvas’s cistern and defensive system. The system carried water from the Amoreira area into the stronghold, whose ability to withstand siege depended on hydraulic engineering as much as on walls.
The aqueduct extends for kilometres and is perceived from several parts of Elvas rather than through a single interior visit. Use safe public viewpoints and connect it to the city’s water supply and fortified landscape.
