The Puente del Moral (Moral Bridge) is one of the road infrastructures of the Campos Branch of the Canal de Castilla, built between 1842 and 1849 to ensure the continuity of the roads over the canal. It is located in the municipality of Villanueva de San Mancio (Palencia), at kilometer 146.770, within the section between Lock 7 of Campos and the Medina de Rioseco Dock, an area where the canal achieves remarkable clarity of landscape.
The structure is resolved by means of a segmental arch—a low, flat arch—with a span of 11 meters and a height of 3.65 meters, an effective solution that reduces the height of the crossing while maintaining structural stability. The bridge has overall dimensions of 12.10 meters in length, 4.80 meters in width, and 5.85 meters in height. It is built entirely of limestone ashlar and is completed with stone parapets and wing walls. At the base of the arch, the walkways allow the towpaths to continue on both sides of the canal, creating a double flare that organizes traffic and protects the structure.
For visitors, the Puente del Moral offers a peaceful respite to understand the relationship between engineering, historic roads, and the agricultural landscape. Naturally integrated into its surroundings, it invites you to stroll along the canal and appreciate the functional simplicity of these structures that shaped the territory during the 19th century.
