Caños de Carmona: The Historic Roman and Almohad Aqueduct of Seville

Visitor Information

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Country: Spain

Civilization: Medieval Islamic, Roman

Remains: Infrastructure

History

The Caños de Carmona is located in Seville, the capital of the province of Sevilla in southern Spain. This aqueduct was originally built by the Romans between 68 and 65 BCE, likely during the time when Gaius Julius Caesar served as quaestor in the Roman province of Hispania Ulterior. It was designed to bring water from the Santa Lucía spring near Alcalá de Guadaíra into the city of Seville.

During the Middle Ages, the aqueduct underwent significant restoration and partial reconstruction under the Almohad caliph Abu Yaqub Yusuf in 1171–1172 CE. This work aimed to supply water to important sites such as the Real Alcázar palace and the Buhaira gardens. The Almohads reused Roman foundations and pillars, adding brick arches to the structure.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, the aqueduct saw further repairs and expansions. It continued to serve as Seville’s main water source, feeding public fountains, noble residences, convents, and baths. Successive monarchs, from Alfonso X to Carlos III, granted water rights to various religious and civic institutions connected to the aqueduct. It also powered mills along its route.

The 19th century brought reforms to improve water quality and distribution. In 1827, José Manuel de Arjona initiated a project to modernize the system, later supported by British engineers George Higgins Winfield and James E. Shaw. Despite these efforts, parts of the aqueduct and some city gates were demolished during this century.

The aqueduct remained in use until the early 20th century. Starting in 1912, much of it was dismantled due to urban growth, public health concerns, and social issues. Although some historians and academic institutions opposed the demolition, only a few sections were preserved. Excavations have since uncovered Roman and Almohad remains, including an underground cistern and conduits near Alcalá de Guadaíra.

Remains

The Caños de Carmona extended about 17.2 to 17.5 kilometers from Alcalá de Guadaíra to Seville. The first three kilometers ran underground through tunnels carved in limestone, featuring around 104 inspection shafts called “lumbreras” spaced every 50 to 60 meters. These shafts sometimes had stone or wooden covers and included niches for lamps, ventilation openings, and brick reinforcements to stabilize the tunnels.

Above ground, the aqueduct continued as an artificial canal crossing areas that later became neighborhoods and industrial zones of Seville. Near the Cruz del Campo, a 1.2-kilometer stretch of brick arches was built in the 12th century by the Almohads. This section contained between 401 and 430 arches, some arranged in double tiers. The arches often rested on Roman foundations and pillars reused during the Almohad reconstruction.

The aqueduct ended at the Puerta de Carmona, a city gate demolished in 1868. There, water flowed into a large reservoir that distributed it throughout Seville. An 820-meter pipe embedded in the city wall supplied water to the Torre del Agua in the Alcázar palace.

Several public fountains connected to the aqueduct served both public and private users. Notable examples include the Pilar de la Puerta de Carmona (1398) and the Fuente de la Plaza de San Francisco (1411), along with others dating from the 15th to 18th centuries.

Today, surviving remains include underground conduits near Alcalá de Guadaíra and several shafts. In Seville, three main above-ground sections remain: a double arcade on Calle Luis Montoto, restored in 1951 and 1982; a five-arch segment on Calle Cigüeña from the early 19th century; and a section once part of the Puente de la Calzada bridge (1929–1991), which housed a niche for the Virgin of las Madejas statue. The original statue was destroyed in the 19th and 20th centuries, but a tile reproduction was installed in 1993 at the surviving arcade.

The aqueduct’s masonry mainly consists of brick arches on stone or reused Roman foundations. The underground parts are carved in limestone with brick supports. The condition of the structure varies, with some sections restored and others lost due to demolition and urban development. The aqueduct once carried about 5,000 cubic meters of water daily, supplying drinking water and powering mills along its course.