Chapter 18 c. Canals discovered in Madrid Metro Expansion – History

The expansion of Metro Line 11 in Madrid reveals a long and well-preserved canal in the 18th century. At the site of the future Rio de Janeiro station in Madrid, archaeologists have discovered the longest part of the Royal Canal of Manzanares ever discovered.

Philip II (R. 1556-1598r. 1556-1598), the ruler of the Spanish Empire and later the port king, connected the Madrid River and the river from there to Lisbon and the Atlantic Ocean. His engineers conceived a canal similar to the Manzanares River, which flowed into the Jarama River, which was in the Tagus of Aranjuez. The canal could have been connected to Jarama so that the boat could go from the canal to a river, to the next river, to the ocean. His ambitious plans were everywhere, reduced to his endless series of debt defaults, Italy, the wars of the Low Countries, not one, not two, but three attempts to attack England on England.

It was Charles III (R. 1759-1788) who resurrected the idea and implemented it two centuries later. The construction of the canal began in 1770 and, although never completed, it did see new factories for transporting supplies and materials to southern Madrid. The canal is only 13.6 miles. It is 46 feet wide and only 10 feet deep. The flat-bottomed barge starts at a pier near the bridge in Madrid, and then heads south with 10 locks to the Rivas vaciamadrid on the river bank, pulled by draft animals (cows, horses) on the river bank. In 1860, the canal was stopped when the railway took over work of crossing goods.

The remains of Royal Canal timber found in subway excavations come from the first part of the channel. Thick wooden boards tilt backward at an angle on two walls 30 feet opposite to the two walls. The part is about 100 feet long and the wood is in good condition and is preserved by a water-like environment. The wooden walls were accompanied by the wreckage of old stones and brick docks, as well as the bones of many animals used to drag barges to the canal.

The planks and stakes appear to be made from elm and pine trees, but archaeologists have collected wood samples for analysis to confirm the type of wood and its origin. Since Tunnel Borer is destroying the site and bringing the subway out, the planks will not remain in place. They will be restored and the highest-preserved person will be openly displayed at the new Madrid Rio de Janeiro station when it opens in 2026-7.

Residents of the Arganzuela community are full of interest in the program. They reported that the Royal Canal existed in the area two years ago before construction began and advocated that the metro station be built nearby, which was actually the original plan. The city of Madrid has been criticized for being watched by neighborhood associations and has forgotten so optimistic about the boring canal wall.