The Sete Fontes (literally 'Seven Springs') is part of a large water supply system built in mid-18th century, that supplied potable water to the northern Portuguese municipality of Braga, until the first half of the 20th century. In reality, there are only six springs from this network that still exist, following destruction of one in the early 1990s, to allow the construction of residential homes. The remaining sections of the Sete Fontes are identifiable for the springs that are housed within their respective Mãe de aguas ('mother of waters'), which are connected via aqueducts running along the surface or through tunnels, known as minas ('mines').