Water culture trail

This city trail is a highly original way of gaining an insight into the history of Barcelona. Twelve specially selected landmarks will show you how Barcelona has used water over the centuries. We'll begin over 2,000 years ago, with the Roman Aqueduct from the ancient colony of Barcino that guaranteed a supply of water to the population at the time. In medieval Barcelona, the irrigation channel, the Rec Comtal, was used efficiently for a number of purposes, from watering the land to industry. In the 18th century, the network of underground galleries, the Mina de Montcada, was built to collect the groundwater beneath the river Besòs to ensure there was enough water to flow along the Rec Comtal.

When Barcelona was establishing itself as a European metropolis in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries due to the growth of its industries, there was a rise in demand stemming from the new requirements. Some of the infrastructures that have been preserved today as part of our valuable heritage include the Eixample water tower, the water tank in the Parc de la Ciutadella, the Besòs water tower, the Tibidabo water tower and the Montjuïc Magic Fountain, which occupy prime locations in the city. Other infrastructures, such as the Casa de les Aigües in Montcada, the Casa de l'Aigua in Trinitat Vella, the Casa de l'Aigua in Trinitat Nova, the aqueduct in the Parc Central de Nou Barris and the Mina de Can Travi water columns in Horta are dotted around the city and bear witness to the importance of water culture in the city.