Los paisajes del agua en el Real Sitio de El Escorial. Presas, fuentes y estanques

A unique hydraulic landscape, shaped by two distinct historical periods, has been reconstructed within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Monastery and Site of El Escorial. The study reveals that the site's water system, initially built in the 16th century to supply the monastery, was expanded in the 18th century to serve recreational casinos, creating a complex network of dams, fountains, and ponds. By analyzing periodic drainage data from Patrimonio Nacional, researchers identified key but lesser-known elements such as the Romeral de Herrera and Villanueva dams, the Monastery's large pond, and the Prince's Cottage pond. This reconstruction offers new insights into the site's historical water management and its evolution over centuries.

Chías Navarro, P., Abad Balboa, T., & Fernández-Trapa, L. (2023). Los paisajes del agua en el Real Sitio de El Escorial. Presas, fuentes y estanques. Informes de La Construcción, 75(569), e486. https://doi.org/10.3989/ic.6167