The Sahagún el Viejo Bridge complex, built between 1753 and 1757, is one of the most complete sections of the Campos Branch of the Castile Canal, bringing together in one place the necessary infrastructure to guarantee the passage of water, the continuity of roads, and logistical support for the canal’s operation. Located at kilometer 103.015, within the municipality of Paredes de Nava (Palencia), this complex allows us to understand the canal as a complex territorial system, extending beyond its hydraulic route.
The main feature is the Sahagún el Viejo Bridge, designed to allow the Paredes-Mazariegos road to cross the canal. Constructed of limestone ashlar, it consists of a segmental arch, approximately 10 meters long and 3.95 meters high. The entire structure is about 12.20 meters long, 6 meters wide, and 5.95 meters high. It includes stone parapets and walkways that ensure the continuity of the towpaths, as well as wing walls that reinforce the structure’s stability.
Next to the bridge are several auxiliary elements that complete the overall picture, including an 18th-century house with two floors and a courtyard. Built with a stone base, brick and rammed earth walls, a wooden frame, and a tiled roof, it is currently unused and in fair condition, but its main architectural features are protected. Also present is a large, single-story warehouse, constructed of limestone, rammed earth, and brick. Its rear facade rests directly on the canal, and it served for storage related to the canal’s operation. The site is further complemented by the ruined remains of older buildings, including a hermitage and vestiges of a previous settlement.
The Sahagún el Viejo Bridge complex offers visitors a complete experience of the Canal de Castilla as a cultural landscape, where engineering, architecture and territory form an inseparable unit.
