Dams in the Renaissance Gardens of the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Dams constitute an important dimension of many of the hydraulic systems developed by different cultures down through history. Not only relevant for their practical benefits, the scale of the territorial intervention entails deep impacts on the surrounding landscape. Great dams store large volumes of water and create perfectly horizontal surfaces within organic perimeters, which fluctuate according to the topography and the amount of water stored at each moment. In addition, they produce radical changes in their ecosystems, with important environmental consequences. Usually linked to agricultural developments, during the reign of Philip II in Spain, these structures undertook symbolic values as key facets of the territorial reorganization undertaken in that period to affirm the king’s power. Generally attributed to Flemish and Dutch constructors (called “diqueros” in Spain), they also reflect the survival of the Roman techniques that were profusely employed on the Iberian Peninsula. Although these extraordinary examples have been subject to well-grounded prior research, the importance and originality of their widespread use in garden ensembles during the reign of Philip II represents an unusual fact that deserves highlighting. The exceptional example of El Bosque de Béjar, where a dam features as the main element of an axial terraced garden, complements the varied royal initiatives (Aranjuez, Casa de Campo, Valsaín, El Escorial and La Fresneda; all with irrigation structures that also served playful or compositional purposes). Based on documentation and field work, this chapter focuses on the general arrangement of these structures, their relationships with garden layouts and, especially, the hydraulic system of La Fresneda, one of the least known and best preserved.