Cascada de las Castañuelas

Castanets Waterfall Xavixavir (Atlas Obscura User)

One of the things the Queen Consort received from her husband was the inclusion of the Castanets waterfall in the project to divert the Tagus River. Rumor has it that this was mainly so she could hear a roar from the royal palace that resembled the sound of the waves in her native Portugal.

The waterfall is semicircular and opens in a fan shape near the north wall of the palace and the Patio de Pescadores, which is part of the same canalization of the Tagus as La Ría after crossing the bridge “La Escalinata” or “Veneciano,” which connects the Parterre and Island gardens.

The Cascada de las Castañuelas in Aranjuez is a jewel of Spanish landscape design. This masterpiece was created by the architect and landscape designer Esteban Boutelou and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The waterfall manages to convey a serene and majestic atmosphere. Its careful design and harmonious integration into the natural environment make the Castanets waterfall an unmissable destination for art and nature lovers.

Know Before You Go

This semi-circular waterfall, in the shape of a fan next to the palace and the so-called Patio de Pescadores can be found at the exit of the “La Escalinata” bridge, which connects the gardens of the parterre and the island.