The Waterwheel of Candelón: Iron and Water.
The Candelón Waterwheel represents a fascinating evolutionary leap in the construction of these devices: the transition from traditional wooden carpentry to the durability of metal. Although its existence at this location is documented as early as 1850, the structure in the image dates from a restoration in 1968. Subsequently, in 1988, a complete reconstruction was carried out, replacing the old wooden pieces with an exact replica made entirely of iron, thus guaranteeing its survival against the constant humidity. This waterwheel draws its power from the historic La Charrara irrigation channel (whose origins date back to 1734). As it turns with the current, it raises the water cleanly and consistently to an upper reservoir, which irrigates approximately 15 tahúllas (a local unit of land measurement: 16770sqare meters) of smallholdings dedicated to stone fruit, vegetables, and citrus fruits in the area. The dimensions: 6 meters in diameter, 48 centimeters in width, 16 spokes distri...
