The waters of Lisboa

You may recall that MrB on our first trip to Lisboa found something completely different for us to do, and he did the same on our most recent trip. On this occasion it was Estação Elevatória a Vapor dos Barbadinhos, which was once one of the steam pumping stations for Lisboa’s residential water supply. For most of the 18th and 19th century Lisboa never had a sufficent supply of fresh water its population, and so this pumping station had a signficant impact on the lives of Lisboetas.

Now I must admit the detail of the mechanics and engineering may not have caught my attention quite the same as MrB’s, but I did appreciate the size and beauty of it all. I was also amazed that you could stand underneath the enormous flywheels and go up to the second floor. The only thing that surprised us was the lack of tiles inside. Most English pumping stations were tiled inside to enable the workers to keep everything clean. However there were no sign of tiles here which is surprising given Lisboa is the home of azulejos. Perhaps they have been removed, who knows. Still the brick, wooden floors and white walls did create a different kind of beauty.

These four enormous steam engines, fed by five coal-fired boilers, were built by E. W. Windsor & Fils, an English owned company based in Rouen, France. Their engines began pumping water from the Alviela River in 1880 and continued to do, without any interruption, until 1928. If you got a job here in the 19th century it was a career for life!

The pumping station would probably still be going now if more efficient pumps hadn’t replaced them. You can see their replacements as they are located in a building next door. They didn’t capture my imagination or camera in quite the same way though. I am sure this pumping room and pumps are very efficient but I did not find them as beautiful as the ones made by E W Windsor and his sons!Barbadinhos modern pumping station

I suspect not everyone will want to visit this museum, but if you do go then a word of caution. The museum directions in their leaflet can be misleading. My tip is ignore their suggestion of the water route from Santa Apolónia station, and instead make sure you stay on the city side of the railway tracks before you attempt to take the diagonal’ish stroll uphill. If you do then you should find it relatively quickly!

Author: BeckyB

It had been a good life walking, cooking, photographing, volunteering, blogging, and best of all spending time with MrB, family, & friends. Sadly it is no longer what it was, as suddenly and unexpectedly I became a widow.

18 thoughts

  1. Pingback: Suitable for a King’s wedding celebrations – It caught my eye in Portugal
  2. Pingback: A stroll between Lisbon’s three funiculars – It caught my eye in Portugal

  3. Fascinating place! I think Mick would’ve enjoyed it too. He was in the dog house yesterday- walked me for miles! Sort of combined 3 different walks, unintentionally and not very successfully. 🙂 🙂 Where’s Becky when you need her, I said? Glad you’re safely back. The weather’s superb.

    1. Oh dear oh dear and the walks around Odeleite are so lovely IF you just stick to one! I’ll have words on Wednesday 😉

      Delighted to have arrived back to this glorious weather. So different to when we left and you arrived last Sunday.

      Hope you have a wonderful day today xxx

        1. That’s great to hear as Mum has come to see the flowers. I’ll be careful though not to do a ‘Mick’!

          Thought do orchid stroll today and then a Guadiana walk tomorrow. 😀

        2. Mum’s good for walking then? I wasn’t sure regarding mobility. We checked Giorgio’s out with that in mind the other night. 🙂

        3. Oh you sweeties thank you but she’s fine. You wouldn’t know she’s 80 this year more like a 60 something most days!! Just her hearing which is problematic. 😊

  4. I’m very impressed with the building, those windows and that lovely floor! As for the mechanics, I’m afraid my eyes would glaze over very quickly.

    1. Hee hee….. you are not alone in that. A party of school kids came in as we left and their eyes were glazing within seconds!

  5. I think we’d be the same! I’d be generally interested but prefer the building and John would be fascinated by all the machinery. As long as he doesn’t try to explain how things work, I’m fine!

    1. Hee hee….my problem is I am interested a little bit. So I ask questions and within 3minutes I’m overloaded with info!!

      1. Yup! And when I don’t understand or forget what I’ve been told he is quite put out with me. Definitely got different types of brain.

        1. Oh poor you. I’m lucky….he’s learnt my TMI symptoms and let’s me off
          (TMI = too much information!)

Comments are closed.