The San Pelayo I Aqueduct, built between 1753 and 1757, is part of the first works on the Campos Branch of the Castile Canal and addresses the need to maintain the canal’s continuity over small watercourses. Located in the municipality of Becerril de Campos (Palencia), at kilometer 93.917, its function is to allow the passage of the San Pelayo stream under the canal, ensuring flow control and the stability of the hydraulic infrastructure.
The structure is resolved by means of a single arch whose vault, initially a segmental arch, gradually increases in cross-section until it emerges as a pointed arch, a technical solution that improves load distribution and reinforces the overall solidity. The arch has a variable span between 2 and 2.50 meters and an approximate height of between 0.95 and 1.25 meters. The aqueduct reaches approximately 5.20 meters in length, with a width of nearly 30 meters and a total height of 4.35 meters. It is constructed entirely of limestone ashlar and is completed with stone abutments and parapets that channel the stream and protect the structure.
Integrated into the open landscape of Tierra de Campos, the San Pelayo I Aqueduct offers visitors a serene stop where they can understand how these discreet, yet essential, structures made possible the continuous operation of the Canal de Castilla and its harmonious adaptation to the territory.
