The fountains and watering troughs of Espejo have not only been essential for supply and daily use but also form part of the soul of the town.
Scattered throughout its urban and rural surroundings, these hydraulic elements reflect a tradition deeply connected to water as a vital resource and a place of gathering.
The Fountain of the Slaughterhouse is located in the southern part of Espejo, next to the old municipal slaughterhouse from which it takes its name. Its structure is simple, featuring a spout that pours into a rectangular trough made of masonry and plastered, which for decades served as a water supply point for the neighborhood and, above all, for the livestock brought to the slaughterhouse.
Before the arrival of running water, this fountain was part of the network of essential hydraulic resources for the town’s daily life. Although it has lost its original function today, it remains a significant vestige of Espejo’s hydraulic heritage and of the way of life prior to the 20th century.
The Fuensanta watering trough, located about 2 km from Espejo, was for centuries a vital point for obtaining water. Its waters, drawn from an ancient Roman cistern, were considered to have healing properties. In the 16th century, a hermitage dedicated to the Virgin of Fuensanta, the local patron saint, was built above it, turning the site into a place of worship and popular gathering, especially during the pilgrimage held on September 8. This watering trough reflects the historical and symbolic importance of water in the daily life of the people of Espejo.
The Espejo Cistern, located 1 km from the town along the ancient Roman road to Obulco, is a water reservoir built around 45 BC, possibly over a former Turdetanian place of worship. With a square plan and a vaulted roof pierced by oculi, it was constructed by Caesarian soldiers and formed part of a Roman hydraulic network that supplied the city of Ucubi. From it, an underground gallery carried water to the Aljibe Fountain. Excavated and restored in 1988, it stands as a living example of Roman hydraulic engineering.
The Mármol Well, located in the urban center of Espejo, is one of the many historic wells that supplied the population before the arrival of running water. Although not drinkable, it served the community alongside others such as the San Roque Well or the now-disappeared San José Well. Espejo once had an extensive network of wells and fountains — such as the Fuente Nueva, the Pilar Salado, or the cemetery well — used for domestic consumption, washing places, and watering troughs. Also noteworthy are the Mina and La Alcubilla springs, which provided drinking water, along with many others scattered throughout the municipality, reflecting a constant struggle for access to water.
The Pilar Salado, located in the northern part of Espejo, owes its name to its brackish waters. It was one of the few available fountains in a town historically marked by the scarcity of drinking water. As early as the 17th century, records mention urgent repairs funded by local residents during a severe drought. Its existence reflects Espejo’s long-standing difficulties in securing a reliable water supply.
The Fuente Nueva, located in the Alcaparral area next to the N-432, was for centuries an important water supply point for the inhabitants of Espejo. Already mentioned in the 19th century by Ramírez de las Casas-Deza, it served key functions as a washhouse, watering trough, and drinking fountain.
Its current structure consists of a trapezoidal basin and a masonry wall with a spout that pours water into the trough. Like many other traditional fountains, its use has declined over time, though it remains a testament to the historical bond between human settlements and water.
About 4 km from Espejo, along the road to Nueva Carteya, lies the peri-urban park El Borbollón, a natural area surrounded by olive groves and freshwater springs, ideal for enjoying nature.
This site has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by remains of polished stone axes. It was once one of the most abundant springs in the province and supplied water to the town for decades, until water from the Iznájar reservoir began to be used.
The architectural ensemble is notable for its Baroque pediment with four spouts that pour water into a masonry trough. The excess water is channeled into a stream that originates from this spring, known as the Borbollón Stream.
In Espejo, the scarcity of large watercourses has made it necessary to rely on fountains such as the Tejadilla Fountain, located next to the N-432. This fountain has historically supplied drinking water to the population and nearby crops.
The fountain has a single spout that emerges from an underground masonry conduit, pouring into a rectangular trough connected to a square basin. From there, the water is channeled toward the nearby Tejadilla farmhouse.
On the very spot where, since the 16th century, the Hermitage of Our Lady of the Rosary stood beside the old Córdoba road, nature lovers can now enjoy a wide garden area from which there is a splendid view of the ducal castle. Very close to the park, a well and a spring once provided water for the needs of the hermitage and irrigation for the Huerta del Rosario, which gives this area its almost sacred character.
With the construction of the park, the last remains of a building more than four centuries old disappeared — a place once visited by devotees of a Marian devotion spread by the Dominican friar Pedro Mesía, founder of the Brotherhood of the Rosary in 1590. Also erased was the final trace of the “old” cemetery — established next to the walls of the hermitage in 1885 — which served its purpose until the 1940s, when the current one was founded.
Espejo has an urban park that offers visitors an excellent area for recreation, rest, and leisure. After its recent expansion and renovation—it was inaugurated in 1998—the park is integrated with the excellent Municipal Swimming Pool, including a picnic area equipped with tables and barbecues that greatly enhance its versatility. The large grassy area and the density of its trees make it a pleasant and welcoming place. The central square of the park features a steel mosaic representing the map of Europe, alluding to its name.
Its privileged location, next to a sort of boulevard in the area known as “Cafetín,” makes it an attractive meeting place for residents who regularly come to talk and stroll, or to gather at a café-bar and restaurant with excellent service, offering visitors the best of Espejo’s gastronomy. In the surroundings of the park stands the “San Bartolomé” football stadium, which is also well worth a visit.
