Fuente del Río

The Fuente del Río is a natural spot located in Cabra (Córdoba), Spain. It’s where the Cabra River originates from a small spring, shaping a series of waterfalls that supply the entire municipality alongside artificial fountains. It’s part of the Water Route of the Subbética in Córdoba.

Fuente del Río

Geography

Adjacent to the Sierra Subbética Natural Park, this spot showcases the natural changes influenced by human hands. It merges the natural characteristics of a typical spring in the Sierra de Cabra karstic system with ornamental gardens and trees, creating a highly scenic space. Designated as a Cultural Interest Site in the form of a Unique Natural Site or Singular Grove on April 11, 1961. From this location, a trail leads to the Subbética Greenway, perfect for cycling or hiking. Nearby, across the road, are other smaller water sources, notably the Martinete spring.

History

During Roman times, around the 2nd century, Marco Cornelio Novato Baebio Balbo funded an aqueduct from the spring to the urban core. Remnants of the aqueduct are absent, but a copy of its inscription remains. Elements include a limestone image of the Virgen de la Sierra, a 1913 popular request, and a 1890 extraction pump supplying water to produce steam for trains on the Linares-Puente Genil line. mIn 1933, an artificial reservoir was created here. Lighting was installed for the first time in July 1948. Subsequent improvements in 1959 included new gardens, picnic areas, and water fountains by architect Rafael de la Hoz Arderius. Notably, Francisco Franco visited in 1961, hosted by locals in flamenco attire, before attending the Felipe Solís Villechenous Workshop.

In June 1976, a storm destroyed the charcoal bridges, later replaced. The space hosts the Alcalde Juan Muñoz Municipal Auditorium, a significant open-air venue inaugurated in 1990.

In March 2023, a monument honoring COVID pandemic victims was unveiled, costing 30,000 euros.

Juan Valera

Juan Valera, an author from Egabro, used to stroll through this grove, inspiring many of his works. In this spot, there’s a tile with the following inscription:

“In the midst of a forest of holm oaks and olive trees, marking the end of the orchards, rises a steep mountain, formed by immense cliffs and rocks. At the bottom of this cave, a true river springs from a crevice, without any exaggeration. The water trickles amidst the rocks, cascading with great noise into a natural pond.

To the right and left, two irrigation channels diverge, flowing into countless streams, watering the fifteen hundred orchards that turn the outskirts of this small town into a verdant and blossoming paradise.”

Juan Valera