The structures consist of two natural pools filled with fresh sea water, designed and built between 1960 and 1973 by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira.

It is one of Siza Vieira's early projects and it is his second design in Leça da Palmeira following his work in the Boa Nova tea room, located 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the north of the pools.

[1][2] In 2011, the pools were classified as a national monument and since 2017 they have been considered for UNESCO world heritage, together with the Boa Nova tea room and six other projects.

In 2011, the building was classified as a national monument and in 2017 it was included in Portugal's tentative lists for UNESCO world heritage together with other works by the architect.

[7] Between 2019 and 2021, 1.3 million € were spent to address issues in the pools' reinforced concrete structure, the main tank and the salt water filtration system, among other.