Most people walking around Príncipe Real have no idea there is a huge old water reservoir underneath the garden.The Reservatório da Patriarcal was built in the 19th century as part of Lisbon's old water supply system. Today it is part of the Museu da Água and you can actually visit it.But the most interesting part for me is the Galeria do Loreto.
This underground gallery is much older. Construction started in the 18th century and it was part of the Águas Livres system that brought and distributed water through Lisbon.There are guided visits where you can walk through part of this underground gallery and reach the Reservatório da Patriarcal beneath Príncipe Real.I find it quite interesting because this is an area where thousands of people walk every day. You have restaurants, shops and people having drinks around Príncipe Real, while underneath there is a completely different Lisbon that most people never see.
I wouldn't put this at the top of the list for someone visiting Lisbon for the first time. But if you have already seen the main attractions, or simply want to see something very different, I think it's a pretty cool experience.
Planning a trip to Lisbon?
I created a Lisbon Digital Travel Guide with practical tips, local recommendations, places to eat, viewpoints, day trips and several organised Google Maps lists that you can save directly to your phone.
If you want to spend less time searching and have good places already saved before your trip, you can find it here:
www.portugaldigitalguides.com
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