Mãe d’Água das Amoreiras Water Cistern

The Águas Livres Aqueduct transformed both the water supply and the rural, recreational and (today’s) urban landscapes between Sintra and Lisbon and the public space of the capital city, through the construction of the public fountain network. After the triumphal arch that celebrates King John V’s work, the reservoir marked the entrance of water in Lisbon. Its geometric and constructive erudition goes along with the importance of this work in the urban modernisation of Lisbon, although its construction brought, in relation to the initial project, a reduction in the scale of the building, reservoir capacity and decorative elements. The waterfall, through which water flows into the tank, was built with stone from the springs that still feed the reservoir. Structurally speaking, four columns emerge from the reflecting pool and help support a ceiling made up of groin vaults. The accessible terrace offers panoramic views of Lisbon.