Macieira da Maia Tower

The Macieira da Maia Tower, stands in the village of the same name in the Área Metropolitana do Porto region in Portugal.

Despite its appearance as a gray, square “keep,” the tower in Macieira da Maia is not medieval or even historical. It is a modern elevated water reservoir built to serve the local potable water network. As such, it doesn't have a name. I named it myself because of its location.

Square in plan and finished with gray, block-like masonry with parapet-like detailing, the tower borrows castle imagery to soften the visual impact of utility infrastructure within the village setting. Because of this, it sometimes gets mistaken for a real medieval castle.

As the Macieira da Maia Tower is an industrial building, it is not open to the public. I like its appearance.

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