Water undoubtedly plays a leading role at the site. Indeed, the water in the pond, the fountains and the irrigation system are what bring the entire property together. In fact, the entire estate was planned to account for the presence of water. The terrain had to be terraced to guarantee water circulation and supplies for all the recreational and ornamental features, to irrigate the gardens, orchards and meadows and reach as far as the lower section of Alameda.

The water was taken from Garganta del Oso stream and channelled to the pond where it was stored in a Dutch-style reservoir that gave the impression of being just another wall in the terraced gardens.

The water reached Ocho Caños fountain, Fuente de la Rotonda fountain and Sábana fountain, and all the other fountains and water features in the Romantic era garden were supplied with water from the network of canals, ditches, gutters and drains running right around the forest.

This complex water system truly comes into its own in Huerta de Abajo orchard, where it clearly played a productive role.

Tinte pond is right next to Puerta de la Justa gateway. The pond collected all the leftover water from the villa and channelled it to the Duke’s fulling mill.