OUR JOURNAL COVER NOSSA CAPA
Arcos da Carioca: an aqueduct in the Marvelous City history
The watercolor strokes from James Storer portray a symbol of Antique Rio and a true example of engineering and architecture of the 18th century. Arcos da Carioca exposed to daily life in the Marvelous City and known as Arcos da Lapa were built by mortar and stone in Roman style, with a double arcade and 42 arches and oculus openings at its superior portion. They were part of the Carioca Aqueduct, which canalized waters from the source of Carioca River coming from Santa Teresa at that time distant from the urban center to Largo da Carioca (Cariocas Square).
In 1718, governor Antonio de Brito e Menezes began the installation of the water conduit through Rua dos Barbeiros (Barbers Street). The new governor, Ayres de Saldanha, decided to alter the original project, changing it into an aqueduct between Santa Teresa and Santo Antonio mounts, inspired in the Aqueduto das Águas Livres (Free Waters Aqueduct) of Lisbon.
Since 1896, Arcos da Carioca serve as a viaduct to the little streetcar that goes from Largo da Carioca to Santa Teresa, being the main collective means of transportation of that district and the only system of streetcars still existent in Rio de Janeiro.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
10 Feb 2006 -
Date of issue
Oct 2005
