Torre del Agua (Water Tower), Granada

The Water Tower is easy to overlook because it lacks the decorative splendor of the Nasrid Palaces, but it represents one of the most important achievements that made the Alhambra possible: its sophisticated water system. Located in the southeast corner of the complex, the tower defended the al-Saqiyya al-Sultan, the Royal Canal that brought water from the Darro River to the Alhambra and Generalife through a network of pools, cisterns, wells, and aqueducts.

The original tower had three floors and, as a primarily military structure, was largely without ornamentation. An aqueduct beside it connected the Alhambra and Generalife by way of a bridge. For tourists, the tower is therefore interesting because it reveals the infrastructure behind the palace’s beauty. The fountains, gardens, baths, and pools all depended on this carefully managed water supply.

The tower also has a dramatic place in the Alhambra’s history. In 1812, as Napoleon’s army retreated from Granada after suffering defeats at the hands of the Duke of Wellington, the French attempted to blow up the fortress. Corporal José García reportedly cut the fuses between the towers, helping to save the Alhambra from destruction. Not everything survived: the Tower of Cabo was destroyed, while the Water Tower was reduced to little more than a few walls. It remained in ruins until the Alhambra was declared a national monument in 1870.

So, when admiring the Alhambra’s gardens and fountains, remember both the engineering that brought water to the palace and the people who helped preserve it.