The Cigarral Aqueduct, built between 1759 and 1804, is part of the infrastructure of the Southern Branch of the Castile Canal, designed to ensure the continuity of the canal’s route over small valleys and natural runoff areas. Located in the municipality of Villamuriel de Cerrato (Palencia), at kilometer 101.705, its function is to allow passage under the El Cigarral ravine, effectively resolving the interaction between the artificial waterway and the surrounding terrain.
The structure consists of a single semicircular arch, with a span of approximately 4 meters and a height of around 2.35 meters. The overall dimensions are approximately 4.75 meters long, 6 meters wide, and 6.15 meters high. It is built entirely of limestone ashlar, a material characteristic of the canal due to its strength and durability. The design is completed with stone parapets and wing walls, with a differentiated treatment on the banks: curved wing walls on the right and straight ones on the left, a solution that adapts to the terrain and reinforces the structure’s stability.
For the visitor, the Cigarral Aqueduct offers a peaceful stop along the canal route, ideal for understanding how these discreet works made its continuous operation possible and for enjoying the harmony between historical engineering and the landscape of the Palencia Cerrato.
