The underground water mines of El Masnou

Beneath the houses and streets of El Masnou lie a subterranean network of canals, excavated since the 18th century to collect and channel the water that seeps through the subsoil. The mines were essential for the water distribution network of the population, solving the problem of water scarcity. During the Civil War, some mines also worked as anti-aircraft shelters.

A mine consists of a water spring or underground well, a set of galleries with conduits to channel the water, and a pond to collect it. Today, there are three mines that are still in operation: the Malet, the Cresta, and the Murot-Patrana. The visitable section of the Cresta and Malet mines, known as 'la Mina d'Aigua del Masnou', features a subterranean gallery that was reinforced to facilitate access and ensure safety. The old butcher’s shop located on Plaça d'Ocata was rehabilitated as the reception center and center of interpretation of the mine of water.

Visitors can see a museum exhibition with a recreation of the exit or courtyard of a house of the village with the typical washhouse, rebuilt from original pieces. There is also a collection of objects related to the construction of this network for the supply of water and the video 'Les mines d'aigua del Masnou', a patrimony of all and of all. Tours to the mine and the center of interpretation are managed by the Museu Municipal de Nàutica del Masnou.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons