Lock 33

Villamuriel de Cerrato

Province

Palencia

Branch

South

Visit duration

30-60 minutes

Services available

Aparcamiento

Provincia

Palencia

Ramal

South

Duración visita

30-60 minutes

Servicios disponibles

Aparcamiento

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The heritage complex of Lock 33, built between 1759 and 1804, is located in the municipality of Villamuriel de Cerrato (Palencia), at kilometer 102.780 of the Southern Branch of the Canal de Castilla. Situated on the outskirts of the town and easily accessible from the P-900 road, this site represents a key point in the canal’s hydraulic organization, designed to overcome the difference in elevation, control the flow, and channel water to auxiliary uses related to industrial activity and infrastructure maintenance.

The main feature is Lock 33, a simple, oval-shaped lock measuring approximately 26 meters long, 9.80 meters wide, and 5.40 meters high. It is constructed of limestone masonry and retains its original hydraulic structure. The upper right wing is flared with rounded walls, marking the beginning of the open channel for harnessing the water drop. On the left bank, a fixed-lip spillway connects via an underground conduit to the intake on that side and discharges directly into the lock basin, ensuring effective water level control.

Associated with the lock are several complementary elements that complete the functional reading of the complex: the main bridge over the lock, with a semicircular arch and limestone masonry, which supports the local road; a system of bridges in the diversion, also made of stone, which guarantees the continuity of the road and the millrace; the lock keeper’s house, with a square floor plan, a gabled roof and now restored and inhabited, a testament to the daily life linked to the canal; and a flour mill, privately owned, built on the use of the waterfall and expanded over time, of which only the original mill is partially preserved.

A visit to Lock 33 offers a comprehensive understanding of the Canal de Castilla as a complex structure where hydraulic engineering, roads, housing, and industrial activity are integrated into a single landscape. The open surroundings of the Palencia region and its proximity to the town center provide visitors with a clear and educational experience, allowing them to appreciate both the technical and human dimensions of the canal’s Southern Branch.

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How to get there:

Located on the outskirts of the town, it can be reached from Palencia via the P-900 road from Palencia to Villamuriel at kilometer 7.

Lock 33

Lock 33

Canal areas