PT:
O Furado Velho e a Levada Velha do Rabaçal eram em tempos regularmente utilizados pelos turistas para chegar à pitoresca área do Rabaçal.
O pitoresco lugar do Rabaçal fica situado no interior da ilha, numa altitude de mil metros acima do nível do mar. As águas aproveitadas no Rabaçal para a alimentação das levadas, são constituídas pelas fontes originárias da Ribeira da Janela.
Tem-se por vezes afirmado que datam do domínio filipino as primeiras tentativas feitas para o aproveitamento das águas do Rabaçal para irrigação, mas não existe qualquer documento ou informação de origem segura que inteiramente o confirme. Quando no ano de 1835, se iniciaram os trabalhos de construção, encontraram-se videntes vestígios de antigas explorações que, segundo as mais acertadas probabilidades, devem remontar-se ao terceiro quartel do século XVIII.
Devemos fixar aqui uma data memorável na história das obras do Rabaçal — a de 16 de Setembro de 1855 — em que as águas atravessando pela primeira vez o túnel das Estrebarias, passaram do norte para o sul da ilha a fertilizar vastos terrenos que se achavam incultos.
No decurso das obras, cuja realização levou mais de meio século, sofreram elas várias modificações. Para conduzi-las ao seu termo final, despendeu-se a avultada soma de quase 186 contos de réis, mas o grandioso empreendimento aí está a testar eloquentemente o que valem o zelo, a dedicação e o amor de alguns homens pelas prosperidades e bem estar da nossa terra.
São duas as levadas do Rabaçal - a levada velha e a levada nova. As obras da levada velha só acabaram em 1860 e as da levada nova só ficaram definitivamente concluídas em 1890. Esta última levada é alimentada pelas águas das 25 Fontes e Fonte do Cedro (Ribeira dos Cedros).
Com a utilização da levada nova, a Levada do Furado Velho deixou de ser utilizada e caiu no esquecimento.
EN:
The Old Tunnel and the Levada Velha do Rabaçal (The Old Rabaçal Levada) were once regularly used by tourists to reach the picturesque area of Rabaçal.
This scenic location named Rabaçal is located inside the island, at an altitude of a thousand meters above sea level. The water used in Rabaçal for feeding the levadas, is taken from the sources that form Ribeira da Janela.
Some state that the first attempts to use the waters from Rabaçal for irrigation date back from the Philippine Reign, but there is no document or information that securely confirms this origin entirely. When the construction works started in 1835, traces of ancient constructions were found and according to the more probable estimates, they may be traced back to the third quarter of the eighteenth century.
We fix here a memorable date in the history of Rabaçal - September 16th, 1855 - when the waters crossed for the first time the Estrebarias Tunnel, going from the north to the south of the island to fertilize vast grounds that were uncultivated.
During the works, which took more than half a century, there were several changes. To finish the levada, they spent a large sum, but the great enterprise is still here to eloquently test the zeal, dedication and love of some men for the prosperity and well-being of our land.
There are two levadas in Rabaçal: the old and the new. The works of the old levada ended only in 1860 and the new levada were only finally completed in 1890. The new levada is fed by the waters from 25 Fontes and Fonte do Cedro (Ribeira dos Cedros).
With the use of the new levada, the old levada was no longer used and was forgotten.
This scenic location named Rabaçal is located inside the island, at an altitude of a thousand meters above sea level. The water used in Rabaçal for feeding the levadas, is taken from the sources that form Ribeira da Janela.
Some state that the first attempts to use the waters from Rabaçal for irrigation date back from the Philippine Reign, but there is no document or information that securely confirms this origin entirely. When the construction works started in 1835, traces of ancient constructions were found and according to the more probable estimates, they may be traced back to the third quarter of the eighteenth century.
We fix here a memorable date in the history of Rabaçal - September 16th, 1855 - when the waters crossed for the first time the Estrebarias Tunnel, going from the north to the south of the island to fertilize vast grounds that were uncultivated.
During the works, which took more than half a century, there were several changes. To finish the levada, they spent a large sum, but the great enterprise is still here to eloquently test the zeal, dedication and love of some men for the prosperity and well-being of our land.
There are two levadas in Rabaçal: the old and the new. The works of the old levada ended only in 1860 and the new levada were only finally completed in 1890. The new levada is fed by the waters from 25 Fontes and Fonte do Cedro (Ribeira dos Cedros).
With the use of the new levada, the old levada was no longer used and was forgotten.
