Levada

A levada is an irrigation canal or a Aqueduc on the Portuguese island of Madeira, located in the Atlantic Ocean at broad of the Morocco.

The levadas were created by the need for conveying important quantities of water of the north-western slope of the island, more sprinkled, towards the south-eastern slope, drier but more favourable with the habitat and the Agriculture, the such for example production of Canne to sugar. The Portuguese started to dig levadas as of the 16th century. Most recent in the Années 1940 was created. Madeira is a mountainous island, and the construction of the levadas was a difficult company, to which slaves or convicts were affected, but also of the paid workmen. The majority follow the side of the mountains, but of the tunnels were dug on approximately 40 kilometers. It happens that on the same mountainside, ten levadas follow one another at various levels. Others cross by small tubular bridge.

Nowadays, the levadas do not allow only the irrigation but also the hydraulic electrical production of origin. The network an overall length of approximately 2.150 kilometers, managed by the state or the communes, is currently also used for tourism: each levada is skirted by a way which allows its constant maintenance. Marrying the level lines, these ways allow for the majority of the easy excursions and flat in splendid landscapes. Some however narrow, or are located on slopes precipice, where the risks of fall being able to result in wounds or even death are real.

One of the most famous levadas is the Levada C Caldeiro Verde , prolonged by the Levada Caldeirao C Inferno , with nearly 40 kilometers length on the whole. Both allow an excursion on long sections, with the crossing of tunnels requiring torches and helmets. The Levada C Caniçal is an easier excursion. It connects on a dozen kilometers Maroços to the Tunnel Caniçal . It is called the levada with the mimosas because of many the Acacia S (often improperly named mimosas) present on the course.

See too

Swing of water: another insular network in the course of construction with the Meeting.

References

“Landscapes off Madeira” by J&P Underwood, published by Sunflower Books, one of the principal guides of the levadas. It gives charts and councils for courses on 42 levadas.

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