When I visited the Aqueduct of Pegões near the City of Tomar, I walked around taking lots of photos, not only at distance but also at close proximity of the arches. I didn’t take pictures of all the 180 arches, which were built in the 16th century, but the ones that I did, I noticed that in some places the arches stand quite high but in other places they are much closer to the ground.
Arches of the Aqueduct of Pegões near Tomar, shot at close proximity
In this area, the arches of Pegões Aqueduct (Aqueduto dos Pegões) in Tomar, stand higher than in the previous photo
These arches of Aqueduto dos Pegões in tomar connects to the Inspection Building of this monument
There’s something I first didn’t understand. Why was it that the Aqueduct of Pegões in Tomar suddenly changed directions? Wouldn’t be easier and cheaper to have built this great architectural structures in a straight line? Of course my reasoning was based on 20th and 21st centuries thinking. When I looked harder to my photos, I noticed that there were a few hills around and that the architects and workers of the 16th century didn’t have access to excavators and earth-movers to get rid of those hills.
Magnificent view of the Aqueduct of Pegões in Tomar, Portugal. In the distance we can see that the aqueduct suddenly changes direction towards the Castle of Tomar
The Aqueduct of Pegões in Tomar changes direction because the architects of the times didn't know how to get rid of those hills. They didn't have excavators and earth-movers to do it
Close up of the Aqueduct of Pegões near the City of Tomar, changing direction towards the Castle of the Knights Templar and the Convent of Christ
The Aqueduct of Pegões near Tomar seems to stretch over six kilometres and in some areas you can drive or walk near the arches. That’s exactly what I did when I was there. First my sister in law Lucinda Moura drove us alongside the arches as you can see in the first photo and then we walked along some dirt roads nearby as shown in the other two photos. I found out later that the highest point of those arches is 30 metres high.
This photo was shot when we stopped after driving alongside the arches of the Aqueduct of Pegões near the City of Tomar. The highest point here is about 30 metres high
This is a dirt road at the Aqueduct of Pegões in Tomar where I walked for a while. Behind me is the inspection building of this Portuguese engineering achievement of the 16th century
Another unpaved road at Pegões Aqueduct, which is close to the City of Tomar in Portugal. Though dirt roads are mainly good for walking or riding a bicycle, apparently some cars also use this road
Pegões Aqueduct which in Portuguese is called Aqueduto dos Pegões, isn’t too far from Tomar but unless you have some kind of transport, it’s a long walk. There is a small green train that takes tourists around Tomar, the Convent of Christ and also comes to the Aqueduct of Pegões. In my case, my sister in law took me there by car, which allowed me to shoot this engineering marvel of the 16th and 17th century, extensively. These photos show us the inspection building of the aqueduct, which was used to purify the water before being supplied to the Convent of Christ.
Photo of the Inspection Building of Pegões Aqueduct in the City of Tomar, shot between two pine trees, which exist in large quantities around the Pegões Valley
The Inspection Building of the Aqueduct of Pegões was used to remove impurities from the water, before it run along the aqueduct to supply the Convent of Christ in Tomar
Close up of the Inspection Building of Pegões Aqueduct in Tomar. I was inside this old historical building from three centuries ago, and it was empty
This is a collection of photos of the Aqueduct of Pegões in a serene green valley near Tomar in Portugal. This aqueduct with 180 arches was completed in the 17th century by the architect Pedro Fernandes Torres, thought its construction was started by Filipe Terzi. This conduit which stretches over six kilometres, was built with the intention of supplying water to the Convent of Christ, which you can see in the distance on these photos.
Aqueduct of Pegões on a beautiful green valley, was built in the 17th century, to supply water to the Convent of Christ in Tomar, which you can see in the distance
A different view of the Aqueduct of Pegões in route for 6 kilometres to the UNESCO listed Convent of Christ in the City of Tomar. This monumental structure has 180 arches
In this photo you can better see how far is the Convent of Christ from where the Aqueduct of Pegões begins. This was an amazing piece of architecture for the time (17th century)
The Aqueduct of Pegões (Aqueduto dos Pegões) in the City of Tomar in Portugal, is a monument to the engineering prowess of the 16th and 17th centuries. This structure was built during the reign of King D. Filipe of Portugal (Rei D. Filipe I), who by the way, was also the King of Spain at the time. This was a time when Portugal lost its independence to Spain for 60 years. The construction of the Aqueduct of Pegões started in 1593 and seems to have been finished in 1614. The main goal of this aqueduct which runs a distance of about 6 kilometres, finishing at the Seven Hills Forest (Cerca) in an irrigation tank, was to supply water to the Convent of Christ (Convento de Cristo), which is now listed in the UNESCO World Heritage.
The Aqueduct of Pegões in the City of Tomar in Portugal, was built by order of the King D. Filipe of Portugal and Spain, between 1593 to 1614
Pegões Aqueduct is a monumental construction, which was designed to supply water to the Convent of Christ in Tomar, which is now listed in the UNESCO World Heritage
Aqueduct of Pegões, gathers the water of four springs outside Tomar and then runs a distance of about six kilometres to a tank located at the Seven Hills Forest, adjoining the Castle