12 elements of the water heritage in Spain

Discover heritage elements that have been used to generate energy from water, supply the population, irrigate, or produce materials.

Museu de les Aigües

TICCIH Spain (The International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage) and Water Museum

Cornellà Power Plant Generator, Agbar Water Museum, 2017, From the collection of: Museu de les Aigües

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This virtual exhibition displays some of the country's most singular hydraulic heritage elements. They were selected jointly with TICCIH (The International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage) based on aesthetic, functional and historical criteria. Georeferences make it possible to locate these water infrastructures and move around the territory, discovering how they have shaped the landscape and enabled the development.

Añana Salt Valley (2015) by Pilar Biel IbáñezMuseu de les Aigües

Añana Salt Valley (16th c.)

The valley is a unique landscape with more than 1,200 years of history. A network of channels distributes the salty water to the drying beds. The salt is stored in the terraces, under the eras, and packaged in external warehouses.

Canal of Castile (2011) by Gerardo Joaquín Cueto AlonsoMuseu de les Aigües

Canal of Castile (1753-1849)

The canal was built to transport cereals from Castile to the port of Santander in order to export them to the American colonies. It also fulfilled the function of supplying water for irrigation and for the movement of industrial machinery.

Aragon Imperial Canal (2008) by Carlos Colás CurielMuseu de les Aigües

Aragon Imperial Canal (1772-1790)

An irrigation and navigation route for travellers and goods, which flows parallel to and south of the Ebro River, crossing towns of Navarre and Aragon. It comprises many check structures, bridges, aqueducts, and several ports.

Port of Casablanca (2008) by Carlos Colás CurielMuseu de les Aigües

Between km 61 and 89, the canal runs through the municipality of Zaragoza. The remains of the port of Casablanca, preserved in the city, are formed by the San Carlos locks and a flour mill, transformed into a hydroelectric power station in 1894.

Timber transport at Miera (2021) by Gerardo Joaquín Cueto AlonsoMuseu de les Aigües

Timber transport on the river Miera (1791)

The Austrian officer Wolfgang Mucha introduced the Central European technology of timber transport by flotation in Spain, with the works on the river Miera running from the divide in the Cantabrian Mountains to the artillery factory at La Cavada.

Elorrieta pumping station (2009) by Santiago Yaniz Aramendia (AVIOP)Original Source: Photographer's collection

Elorrieta pumping station (1894)

The Bilbao sanitation project, of the engineer Recaredo de Uhagón, consisted of a double independent network: the existing rainwater network and a new sewerage network. It was considered the first modern sanitation system in Spain.

Elorrieta pumping (2010) by Santiago Yaniz Aramendia (AVIOP)Original Source: Photographer's collection

In Elorrieta there was a small pump house with two Worthington steam engines, pumps, boilers, service workshop, underground deposits and a forge, from where the pumped water was sent up to Getxo.

Cornellà plant (2017) by Agbar Water MuseumMuseu de les Aigües

Barcelona Water General Society plant (1905)

Josep Amargós i Samaranch, commissioned by the Barcelona Water General Society, designed this industrial complex for the collection of water from the Llobregat river and its pumping to Barcelona. The plant stands out for still being in operation.

Burés steam engine (2016) by Emili Rams i RieraMuseu de les Aigües

Burés Factory steam engine (1903)

The factory used the water from the Ter River to generate energy, through the Canal de las Industrias. One of the main highlights of the manufacturing complex is the machinery, whose conservation state is excellent.

Grandas de Salime dam (2010) by Miguel Aguiló FoundationOriginal Source: Fundación Miguel Aguiló

Grandas de Salime hydroelectric power plant (1955)

Saltos del Navia inaugurated this power plant to improve the supply of electricity, obtained from water, in the regions of Asturias, Cantabria and Galicia. It stands out for its design, with the unique interior and exterior aesthetic elements.

Tambre hydraulic jump (1924-1934) by Royal Galician AcademyOriginal Source: Galiciana. Arquivo Dixital de Galicia

Tambre hydroelectric power plant (1924)

The Galician Electricity Company commissioned the architect Antonio Palacios Remilo the design of a power plant in Noia, A Coruña. The complex includes, in addition to the plant inaugurated in 1924, complementary buildings and housing for the workers.

Sedó industrial colony (2017) by Sergi BoixaderOriginal Source: Sergi Boixader

Sedó industrial colony (1846)

This industrial colony, dedicated to cotton yarns and fabrics, was one of the main colonies scattered along the Llobregat river course. The water was entering the 4 km aqueduct, creating a 40 m high drop, powering a Francis-type turbine.

Riopar factories (1879) by Metallurgical Company of San Juan de AlcarazOriginal Source: AARFR, Asociación de Amigos de las Reales Fábricas de Riópar

San Juan de Alcaraz Royal Brass Factory (1773)

It is the first initiative for the construction of a brass factory in Spain, projected by the engineer Juan Jorge Graubner. He ideated the hydraulic gutter that consisted of a system of waterfalls, powering wheels and rammers.

Noria of Jinámar (2019) by Gerardo Joaquín Cueto AlonsoMuseu de les Aigües

Noria of Jinámar (1850)

This traditional animal-powered winch was built to provide irrigation water to the cortijo of the Jinámar valley. Located inside an octagonal tower, the winch drove the piston pumps that extracted and raised the water up to the reservoir.

Credits: Story

This exhibition has been created with photographic and archive material of the Museu de les Aigües, Fundación Miguel Aguiló (FMA), Real Academia Galega, Sergi Boixader, Emili Rams i Riera, Association of Friends of the Royal Factories of Riópar (AARFR), Gerardo Joaquín Cueto Alonso, Santiago Yaniz Aramendia (AVIOP), Carlos Colás Curiel and Pilar Biel Ibáñez.

Incollaboration with TICCIH Spain (The International Committee for theConservation of the Industrial Heritage).

Credits: All media

The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

Museu de les Aigües

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