Reservoir of Mãe d'Água das Amoreiras – Museu da Água

The Águas Livres Aqueduct ensured the water distribution between Sintra and Lisbon, but it also reshaped the rural, recreational and urban landscapes. The public space of the square in Lisbon also changed with the implantation of a network of communal fountains. After the triumphal arch that celebrates this project by D. João V, a massive reservoir marked the entry of the water into the city. Its geometric and constructive erudition proves the impact of the aqueduct in the modernization of the capital. The initial project for the tank was even more ambitious, but its construction asked for some reduction in scale, capacity and decorative elements. The waterfall, from which the water flows into the tank, was built with stone from the springs that feed the reservoir. At the structural level, four columns emerge from the water mirror and help to support the ridge vaults. A convenient terrace allows for a panoramic view over Lisbon.