La Alberca by Willis, Reed (Student)

Beginning

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 22:54:02 UTC

The Alberca is 12 meters deep, 11.05 meters wide, and 11.32 meters long (trujilloteespera).

Located at:

C. Alberca, 3, 10200 Trujillo, Cáceres

39.459624421663946, -5.884874648614921

About a 6 minute walk from Plaza Mayor de Trujillo and visible from Casa Fuerte de los Escobar.

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 22:54:20 UTC

The Alberca was likely built during Roman times, although the exact date of construction is unknown. The presence of Roman Ashlers, a specific type of masonry used to cut and fasten stones together, indicates Roman origin (asturnatura).

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 22:54:32 UTC

After Roman times, Trujillo was conquered by Germanic tribes, mainly the Visigoths whose presence can be seen “On the other side of La Alberca, behind the circular tower, are the remains of a Visigothic construction, a fortified building that was the convent of the first knights of Trujillo who would later join the Pereiro, the origin of the Alcantarine Order” (trujilloteespera).

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 22:54:45 UTC

In 711 Trujillo came under the rule of Muslims. It is likely that under Muslim rule was when the Alberca was completed in its “modern” form (guiarepsol). This period is also where the name comes from, coming from “Al birka” in Arabic which means reservoir (trujilloteespera).

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 22:55:00 UTC

The Alberca reservoir’s use changed over time. However, it was not used as a source of drinking water for most of its existence. It was instead used to provide water to nearby fields, houses, and as a source of drinking water for animals at different times. As the use changed, the place space likely did too. For example, it might have served as a meeting point for farmers with certain kinds of animals or farmers who lacked access to water on their land.

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 22:55:14 UTC

The Alberca is fed by two springs at its bottom. It was likely fed by three when it was originally constructed, but one has since dried up (trujilloteespera).

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 22:55:23 UTC

Today, the Alberca is not in use, not even for livestock. Although, some birds might still be poisoning themselves. It is a bit of a tourist attraction, after all three of my sources were tour related sites, and it does have a designated tour sign. Most visitors are likely not from Trujillo and on some sort of guided walk.

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 22:55:32 UTC

For me, it serves as a sort of halfway landmark between School and my house. It seems that most locals sort of treat it in a similar way, a bit of a landmark without much of its own value. It really isn’t used as a meeting place of any sort nor does it have a physical use anymore, at least from what I have noticed. The only exception may be for tourists on a historial focused walking tour of Trujillo, and maybe tour guides who might frequently meet tourists there or guide groups there.

Sources

willisr5 — 2024-09-15 23:01:43 UTC

“La Alberca En Trujillo - Curiosidades y Planes Relacionados: Guía Repsol.” REPSOL, Repsol SA, 22 July 2024, www.guiarepsol.com/es/fichas/monumento/la-alberca-13016/.

“La Alberca.” Trujillo Te Espera, Trujillo Tourism Office, 21 July 2022, trujilloteespera.com/descubrir/monumentos-de-trujillo/alberca/#.

“Trujillo, Cáceres.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Sept. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trujillo,_C%C3%A1ceres.

Valderrey, Juan Luis Menéndez. “Alberca de Trujillo.” Naturaleza y Turismo, asturnaturaDB, www.asturnatura.com/turismo/guia/alberca-de-trujillo-2960?utm_content=cmp-true. Accessed 16 Sept. 2024.

“Ashlar.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Apr. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashlar.