Fuente Concejo

Useful Information

Location:	Calle de Fuente Concejo, 23, Cáceres. (39.47260, -6.36803)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Spring El Calerizo
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Fuente Concejo, Calle de Fuente Concejo, 23, Cáceres, Tel: +34-.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

15th century	built by Alfonso Golfín.
1656	the City Council agrees to commission D. Francisco de la Plata Sandoval to repair the spring.
20-AUG-1885	water extraction regulated to prevent it from being completely depleted.
1906	the six water tanks were closed at night with doors and padlocks, to avoid waste and water shortages.
1995	restored by the Heritage Restoration Workshop School of the Universidad Popular de Cáceres.

Description

Fuente Concejo (Council Source) is a spring at the foot of the city Cáceres. It was of great importance for the city, but unfortunately it was located 80 m in front of the city walls, so it could not be used during sieges. But in times of peace it was an important part of the drinking water supply of the city. The spring was tapped with a rectangular basin or roofless cistern. There are walls on three sides and a stone staircase on the fourth. The wall on the eastern side has openings which look like low barrel vaulted door openings closed with iron grilles. The water can flow unhindered from the spring into the basin through the grilles. Actually the six basins were the places were the people gathered the water. The three on the left with the barrel vaults were for men, the three on the right with slightly triangular vaults were for the women. This spring was built in the 15th century by Alfonso Golfín, the nobleman from Cáceres ordered it to be built using granite stone and a vaulted tank. The esplanade in front of it was used for council meetings, hence its name.

The location on this low point is simple geology, the El Calerizo karst ends here at the border of the city, the water from the water-filled caves reaches the surface. The reason is simply the contact to the surrounding Silurian shists, which do not allow water flow. And so the aquifer is dammed and flows out on the surface. The water was of high quality, and its flow was very abundant, enough to supply half the population with drinking water. During the 18th century, the yield was 13,000 jugs of water per day (yes, it's a funny unit). The spring was historically of great importance. Due to numerous wells which were drilled in the middle of the 20th century into the aquifer, which are pumping drinking water for the city, the water level in the aquifer was lowered, and the spring does not produce water any more. The site is nevertheless worth a visit, the architecture is interesting, the view on the city is great, and it has no open hours and is completely free.

There were good reasons for the surrounding walls, the spring was located only a few meters from the Ribera river. Originally, its water flowed directly into the river. The problem was when the water of the river flooded into the spring, which made the water unfit for consumption. The water of the river was dirty and could cause infections. The walls and the tiled floor were intended to keep the river out, but after some decades they started to have leaks. So the council had to commission repairs now and then. Unfortunately, they had budgetary problems, which prevented the proper meeting of such a vital need.

At the same time the growing population increased the danger of water shortages. Water extraction was regulated since 1885, the Town Hall declared that water could only be extracted from midday to three in the afternoon and from ten at night to four in the morning. The results were long queues of residents waiting their turn every summer. And the large number of people caused further damage. Finally, the descent from the Arco del Cristo to the Fuente Concejo was equipped with a new staircase. In 1892 automatic pumps were installed, but they continually broke down. In 1899 there was a notable shortage of water, and the Mayor commissioned studies to prevent water from spilling when filling the jugs. He also placed personnel at that fountain. In 1906, it was agreed to close the six water tanks at night with doors and padlocks. There were numerous rules and limitations, the size of the buckets was limited and the people were monitored.

The site was restored by the Heritage Restoration Workshop School of the Universidad Popular de Cáceres in 1995. Nevertheless, the site is often flooded after heavy rains. The water flowing down the drain in the front yard carries dirt into the well and blocks it, so the front yeard is flooded for several days.