The Sopeña Aqueduct is a historical infrastructure of the Southern Branch of the Canal de Castilla located in the municipality of Cigales (Valladolid), at kilometer 132.905. Built between 1831 and 1836, it is part of the set of works intended to guarantee the continuity of the canal over small channels and areas of natural drainage, precisely resolving the dialogue between the artificial route and the relief of the land.
The structure consists of a single semicircular arch, with a span of approximately 1.60 meters and a height of nearly 1.70 meters, allowing water to pass beneath the canal. The overall dimensions are approximately 26 meters wide, with a length and height of around 1.60 and 3.40 meters, respectively. It is built entirely of limestone ashlar, a material characteristic of the Canal de Castilla due to its strength and durability. The structure is completed with stone wing walls that channel the flow and stabilize the structure; the parapets have disappeared, reinforcing the direct interpretation of the original construction. On the right bank of the canal, before the aqueduct, there is a fixed-crest spillway made of concrete, whose basin drains directly into the mouth of the aqueduct, integrating both elements into the hydraulic control of this section. The aqueduct is in a good state of preservation and retains all of its original hydraulic works, which are fully protected.
For the visitor, the Sopeña Aqueduct offers a discreet but revealing stop on the Canal de Castilla route, ideal for understanding how these small works made its continuous operation possible and enjoying an environment where historical engineering and landscape combine naturally.
