Located on the ravine of Los Ojos, to which it gives its name, the Acueducto de los Cinco Ojos was built between 1785 and 1789 by the Aspen architect José Gonzálvez de Coniedo as part of the channeling works necessary to carry water from the Fuente de Barrenas , in Aspe, to Elche.
It is the largest aqueduct on arches of the entire layout, with a length of close to 47 meters and a maximum height of 17. Its monumentality is best appreciated from the bed of the ravine, from where the two central buttresses, built on solid brick base and entrenched on carved stone ashlars. The elegant semicircular arches, also made of brick, and the combined use with certain aesthetic criteria of the grayish masonry typical of the terrain, contribute to enhancing the harmony of its proportions and its perfect integration into the space that surrounds it.
Very close to it is the Cuatro Ojos Aqueduct, of very similar dimensions and approach, although with pointed arches. Both are two beautiful examples of monumental structures placed at the service of man and successfully reflect the objective pursued by the rulers of the Enlightenment for their public works, the alliance of solidity and durability with the stylistic and design exercise of the best architecture. classicist.
Author of the text: Felipe Mejías López