Montcada, the heritage of water

MORNING

The route begins at the Parc de les Aigües de Montcada, a natural symbol of the millenary use of the waters of the Besòs River. This park has been home to essential constructions for the water supply of the city of Barcelona throughout history.

We invite you to visit them in chronological order to better understand their evolution. At the Parc de les Aigües (Water Park) you will find explanatory panels of the different constructions to see.

Let’s start with the Mina de Montcada (which currently houses a retirement home and a bar), where we can see the first section of the departmental watercourse and the Reixagó (the grid that protected the initial section of the watercourse to ensure the equitable distribution of water between the parties responsible for its management: the Barcelona City Hall and the Canal Irrigation Council). We recommend that you access the water collection gallery inside the Mine.

Later, we will head north towards the Casa de les Aigües. Consult the timetable and the programme of activities of this fundamental work of Catalan industrial heritage.

To understand the context in which the Casa de les Aigües was built, it is necessary to locate ourselves in the Barcelona of 1878. The drought is extreme and the water supply is insufficient: the Rec Comtal (Barcelona’s irrigation system) built in the middle ages, doesn’t serve to supply water to the city and an urgent intervention is necessary. For this reason, the Barcelona City Council commissioned the architect Antoni Rovira y Trias to build a water extraction and pumping station and collect water from the underground flow of the river. The modern and ambitious project progresses quickly and operates effectively for 100 years (from 1878 to 1987).

This magnificent architectural ensemble, built with modernist features, consists of the well room (room of great artistic and functional beauty), the engine room (with two steam engines unique in the world), the control room and the machinist’s house.

We suggest ending the tour by walking along the Passeig dels Castanyers.

WHERE TO HAVE LUNCH?

The city offers many possibilities for all tastes. Strolling through the city you can make a stop and eat wherever you like!

AFTERNOON

What do you think of tracing Barcelona’s irrigation from Casa de les Aigües to the Plaça Primer de Maig in Barcelona to digest? This walk (of approximately 1 km) along the first section of the canal, will allow you to get an idea of the magnitude of the work.

If you start the route at Casa de les aigües, you must take the exit towards the Ronda verda del Besòs, which you will have to leave after 200m to pass under the railway. You will exit on Carrer del Carril, which you will have to follow until the end and which will lead you to the entrance of the Barcelona outdoor irrigations section. Following the course of the iriigation, you will finally arrive at the square Plaça primer de Maig in Barcelona.

You can return to Montcada along the same path to Casa de las Aigües or return to the center of Montcada following its streets: leaving the square along leaving the square by Passeig de la Pineda, carrer d ‘Oristà, carrer Bosc, Passatge del Putxet, carrer Bateria, carrer Reixagó and Plaça Nicaragua.

With this tour, you will be able to contemplate the modernist legacy, clearly visible in some of the buildings in the center of the villa.