The Arrayales Aqueduct is a hydraulic structure on the Northern Branch of the Castile Canal, located in the municipality of San Cebrián de Campos (Palencia), at kilometer 67.591. Built between 1759 and 1804, it is part of the ambitious Enlightenment project that provided Castile with an infrastructure designed to organize the territory and ensure efficient water management. Its significance lies in the clarity of its function and the simplicity of its design, characteristic of the canal’s structures.
The structure allows passage under the Valdeamayuelas stream channel via a single semicircular arch, with an approximate span of 3.65 meters and a height of 3.35 meters. The overall dimensions are approximately 6.10 meters long, 30.10 meters wide, and a maximum height of nearly 11.20 meters. The design is completed with a plain impost at the base of the parapets, as well as stone wing walls and parapets that channel the water and reinforce the structure’s stability. The entire aqueduct is constructed of limestone masonry, a material commonly used on the Canal de Castilla due to its strength, durability, and harmonious integration with the surrounding environment.
The Arrayales Aqueduct, which is well preserved, offers a peaceful stop along the Canal de Castilla route, ideal for appreciating a discreet but essential work, integrated into the rural landscape and perfect for understanding how these infrastructures made possible the continuous operation of one of the great hydraulic works of enlightened Spain.
