Janelas da Bica

The residents of Bica have always maintained a close connection with the maritime life of the Tagus. This picturesque neighborhood consists of a set of sidewalks, steps, quillas and alleys. Its origin dates back to a natural catastrophe. In 1597, a landslide between the Alto de Santa Catarina and Alto das Chagas formed a valley that gave the steep aspect to the Bica. At that time, Lisbon was much sought after by outsiders who wanted to work on the river. The great population increase made the areas of Bica, São Paulo and Boavista inhabited by seamen, fishermen, water-bearers, fishmongers and all types of salespeople. The name of the neighborhood is thought to derive from a spout whose water flows noisily to an eighteenth-century tank in the Patio de Broas or Vila Pinheiro. It is on Calçada da Bica. Apart from this, this space is composed of names such as Calçada da Bica Pequena, Aciprestes Alley, Santo Antoninho Square, Bica Duarte Melo, Rua do Almada, and the famous Bica elevator. It is this that maintains the bonds between Bica and Santa Catarina or the Bairro Alto. However, not all spouts and sources are summarized as toponymy. Built in 1675, the Beak of the Eyes is known for its effectiveness in treating eye diseases. In this neighborhood, were frequent the pregões of the aguadeiros, in their great majority Galezes, that filled the streets of sounds and of human presence. In Lisbon, the lack of water was frequent. Spouts and fountains were usually meeting places.
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