Aqueduto de Santíssimo

From atop the Santa Teresa hill, water once flowed gracefully through the Aqueduto de Santíssimo. It’s a journey back to colonial Rio de Janeiro, where access to clean water was a constant challenge. The city, nestled between mountains and sea, struggled with marshes and lagoons. So, in 1719, work began to bring fresh water from the Carioca River. The Aqueduto da Carioca, as it was initially known, wasn’t completed until 1750. This impressive Aqueduto de Santíssimo, a marvel of engineering, spanned 270 meters. It connected Santa Teresa hill to Santo Antônio hill, carrying water to the Santo Antônio Convent. There, a magnificent marble fountain with over 15 bronze spouts quenched the city’s thirst. The fountain was later replaced in the 19th century by a design from Grandjean de Montigny. Sadly, that fountain was demolished in 1925. The Aqueduto de Santíssimo, built by enslaved indigenous and African people, stands as a testament to their labor. Portuguese Brigadier José Francisco Pinto Alpoim designed this symbol of modernity. Artists like Victor Frond, Carlos Linde, and Carl Wilhelm von Theremin captured its grandeur in their works. Naturalists Spix and Martius even described the aqueduct as “the most beautiful and useful monument of architecture” in Rio. The Caixa da Mãe D’Água, a reservoir in Tijuca Forest, collected and purified the Carioca River’s water. This reservoir is also frequently depicted in historical records. Despite its historical significance, it was abandoned in the 1980s. Fortunately, it’s currently undergoing revitalization thanks to community efforts. As Rio expanded in the 19th century, the Carioca system became outdated. The Aqueduto de Santíssimo was repurposed as a viaduct for trams, connecting downtown Rio to Santa Teresa. This marked a shift from water supply to transportation. The arches became a path, a road, embracing the modern electric tram. In the early 20th century, the arches were among the few structures spared from demolition during Lapa’s renovations. With the creation of Iphan in 1938, they gained protected status. Today, the Aqueduto de Santíssimo remains an iconic postcard image of Rio.