Horta Water Columns

In the historic centre of the Horta neighbourhood you'll find a fully functioning water supply dating from the 19th century: the Mina de Can Travi. Frozen in time, it bears witness to the way homes obtained their water more than 150 years ago.

In 1857, Josep de Travi, the owner of Finca Can Travi in the former village of Horta, and Josep Jordà, a water supply developer from Sarrià, joined forces to build a network of underground tunnels to collect and carry the groundwater from the land Travi owned in the valley of the Horta stream. They hoped to sell the water to well-to-do families in Horta and its village council. In 1860, the council purchased water to supply two public fountains and, in 1861, a permanent water supply scheme for private individuals was launched. By 1866, 21 families had running water. Water in the home was convenient, gave greater social prestige, improved hygiene and the health of the families who could afford it.

The age-old techniques for collecting and supplying water are still being used in Horta today. Two channels flow from the Mina de Can Travi into the water mains that pump the water upwards by the force of gravity into the tanks at the top of the water columns. Each column has feeder pipes of varying diameters, depending on the flow rate specified in each customer's contract. As the years went by, the customers formed an association to manage the supply themselves. By the middle of the 20th century, there were still more than 20 of them and today there are about a dozen people who get their water from the Mina de Can Travi using this system.

You can still see the four Can Travi water columns as you walk through the old part of Horta, which is one of Barcelona's most charming and peaceful neighbourhoods.