The Carioca Aqueduct, better known as the Arcos da Lapa due to its location in the Lapa neighborhood, is a monumental structure in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is considered an outstanding example of colonial architecture in the country and has become one of the main symbols of the city, especially in the vibrant and bohemian neighborhood of Lapa.

The first plans to bring water from the Carioca River to the city date back to 1602, driven by the governor of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, Martim Correia de Sá. In 1624, a contract for the construction of the aqueduct was signed with Domingos da Rocha, although work did not begin. In 1706, under the government of Fernando Martins Mascarenhas Lancastro, the initiative was resumed and in 1718, during the administration of Antônio de Brito Freire de Menezes, the water conduits began to be installed on what is now Evaristo da Veiga Street.

In 1720, under the administration of Aires de Saldanha, the work reached the area known as Campo da Assistência (today Cinelândia), and by 1723, the aqueduct was completed, bringing water to the Carioca Fountain in Campo de Santo Antônio (today Largo da Carioca). The work was inspired by the Aqueduto das Águas Livres in Lisbon and linked the Santa Teresa hill to the Santo Antônio hill.

Despite its completion, by 1727 there were already complaints about water shortages, attributed to damage caused by runaway slaves living in the forests. The government established sanctions for those who vandalized the aqueduct.

Built of stone and mortar, the aqueduct is 270 meters long and 17.6 meters high. With a Romanesque design, whitewashed and with 42 double arches, its construction was carried out with indigenous and African slave labor.