El Clot Wash House (Millares)

The Millares area has numerous springs, which is why it was chosen by the Moors as a place to establish the original farmstead that gave rise to the Moorish settlement. South of this old quarter, and now covered by the Plaza del Hinchidor, is the pond used to irrigate the Llano vegetable plots. It collects the waters of the Nacimiento river brought via the El Hinchidor irrigation channel. These abundant waters emerge in the monumental fountain which, with its spouts and pool, adorns the square. The women would go down to it to hinchir (“fill” in Aragonese) their pitchers with water. This is the origin of the square’s curious name.

The water flowing along this main irrigation channel at the foot of the town was harnessed by the Moors to turn the water wheels of the rice mill and flour mill on the feudal estate, which was linked to the Palacio de los Bou. Between El Hinchidor and the palace there is a simple but picturesque wash house on the site known as El Clot (“the hole” in Valencian). Angled slabs of smooth limestone have been laid on one side of the irrigation channel, allowing residents and visitors taking a relaxing summer stroll along its bank to enjoy the cooling effect and pleasant sounds of the flowing water and taking them back to the period of Al-Andalus. The old wooden roof of the wash house was replaced in 1970 by the current concrete and brick structure.

In addition to the El Clot Wash House, at the bottom of the town and next to the road, just before the irrigation waters enter the system of vegetable plots, there is a second Wash House, with original slabs, but a roof that is the product of a recent renovation. The clothing of sick people was washed here, in order to prevent possible infections.