Antanillas Watchtower

The Antanillas dam, built between 1753 and 1757, is part of the network of works on the Campos branch of the Castile Canal, designed to regulate irrigation and distribute water in a controlled manner. Located in the municipality of Villaumbrales (Palencia), at kilometer 92.187, this structure played an essential role in the daily operation of the canal, ensuring the agricultural use of its immediate surroundings.

The structure has a square floor plan and approximate dimensions of 3.45 meters on each side and 2.40 meters in height. Its design is simple and effective, with a hipped roof supported by a pressed brick dome. The enclosure combines pressed brick with reinforced piers at the corners and a stone plinth, while the cornice and foundation are made of limestone, a material that provides solidity and stability to the structure. These elements clearly identify its hydraulic function and its integration into the canal’s technical system. Currently, the watchtower is in a state of ruin, although it retains all of the original hydraulic works, which are protected in their entirety due to their heritage value.

For visitors, the Antanillas Watchtower offers an opportunity to understand the role of these discreet yet essential structures in water management. Integrated into the open landscape of Tierra de Campos, it invites one to pause and observe how enlightened engineering shaped the territory and sustained agricultural activity linked to the Canal de Castilla for centuries.