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The Donkeys’ Watering Hole 

Near the Plaza de España, at the top of the Calle Mayor, can be seen a reminder of the days when donkeys made the world go round. 

The fountain and trough next to the taxi rank was originally installed in the latter part of the 18^th century and it provided clean water for the thirsty donkeys that passed in and out of the Puerto de Madrid. This was the northern gate in the city walls.  Of course, the fountain also provided drinks for people as well. 

The fountain and trough were moved in 1892 before finally coming to rest in the present location in the 1950s.  Today water still flows, though for ornamental rather than drinking purposes.  If you want a drink of clean, pure water today, you have to pay for it in a plastic bottle. 

The popular nickname of the fountain and trough was the “Pilon de los burros”, or the Pylon of the Donkeys.  This referred to the big structures, or pylons, which stood at the entrance to temples in ancient Egypt and not to electricity pylons. 

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