ArcosdaLapa

This plaque is part of the 'Lapa/Glória' circuit. Click here to see all the circuits.

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Anyone passing through Lapa might not imagine that the structure of old colonial arches was designed and functioned as an aqueduct, responsible for supplying the city with water from the Carioca river. It was a work of great importance for urban development: before the aqueduct, enslaved people had to travel long distances to the mouth of the Carioca river to fetch water.

The water distribution works began in 1719 with the channeling of the Carioca River's springs. By 1723, the work was completed, but in 1744 Governor Gomes Freire ordered its reconstruction. The order came because the previous structure, built with iron pipes, had not withstood the effects of time or weather conditions. The new project used the technique of mixing stone and lime with whale oil, forming an extremely resistant concrete alloy.

Image description: This is a painting depicting a historical scene. The image shows an arched bridge, known as the Arcos da Lapa, located in São Paulo. In the lower part of the image, we see a river with several people and animals, including oxen and goats, that are swimming or grazing. On the left, there are buildings that appear to be houses and a church with a tower. In the background, there is a hill with trees and a building that looks like it could be a convent or a large house. The predominant color of the painting is beige, with details in lighter and darker tones.

Built by enslaved African and Indigenous labor, the Carioca Aqueduct was completed in 1750, with the arches being its most visible part. In total, the water supply system stretched about 8km, carrying water from the slopes of Corcovado to the Carioca fountain, at the foot of the Santo Antônio Convent.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white engraving. It shows two distinct scenes, both related to the Chafariz da Carioca. At the top, we see an old fountain with ornate architecture, featuring human figures in its structure. Below, there is a newer, simpler fountain, with columns and a flat roof. Both fountains have people around them, some appearing to be using containers to collect water. The text "Antigo Chafariz da Carioca" is located below the first fountain, while "Novo Chafariz da Carioca" is below the second.

Recorded by both Brazilian and foreign artists as a symbol of modernity, utility and beauty, the Carioca Aqueduct gradually became obsolete for urban water supply in the mid-19th century, due to urban expansion, the channeling of other rivers, and the emergence of new supply possibilities. But the structure did not lose its importance. Starting in 1896, the Arcos began to be used as a viaduct for the new iron trams of the Companhia de Carris Urbanos, the main means of access from downtown to the heights of the Santa Teresa neighborhood. The trams were, at the time, the most modern form of urban transport available.

Image description: This is a photograph of the Arcos da Lapa, in São Paulo. The image shows an electric train passing over an architectural structure with white arches. From left to right, we see the main arches, each with a decorative circle at the top. In the center, there is a yellow train with several people inside it, moving over the structure. In the background, we see buildings and palm trees reflected in the arches. The sky is covered with gray clouds, giving the scene a bluish-pink tone.

From aqueduct to viaduct, the Arcos became one of the city's most famous postcard images. With the creation of IPHAN in 1938, the structure was granted heritage status and became part of the country's historical, cultural, and natural heritage.

Please share the source text you would like translated.

ALMEIDA, A. C. L. de. O aqueduto da Carioca: paisagem de urbanidade. In: TERRA, Carlos, ANDRADE, Rubens de. (Orgs.) Coleção paisagens culturais: interfaces entre tempo e espaço na construção da paisagem sul-americana. Rio de Janeiro: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Escola de Belas Artes, 2008. v. 2. p. 249-255. EQUIPE Brasiliana Iconográfica. Arcos da Lapa: from aqueduct to viaduct. Available at: Brasiliana Iconográfica WANDERLEY, Andrea C. T. The Arcos da Lapa and the Santa Teresa trams. Available at: Brasiliana Iconográfica JACOBSEN, Priscila S. Os mapas e o tempo. Available at: UFRGS

Image description: The image shows two logos. On the left side, there is a blue shield with a crown and decorative elements, followed by the text "Rio Prefeitura Turismo" in blue. On the right side, there is a logo with the phrase "Rio Memórias" in orange, inside a square with vertical lines.