Las Peñuelas Cisterns

More than just cisterns.

Over the course of its history, and especially since it began to grow dramatically as of the mid-16th century, Melilla has been prone to persistent drought, so the three enormous cisterns which have supplied water to the city for centuries are important indeed. Theirs is an interesting history, as well, because when searching for a construction location, it had to be someplace sheltered from continual bombardment from Moroccan forces yet with a good enough connection to the city. And beyond the merely functional, the masons brought in from the eastern Mediterranean not only built them solidly but attractively, creating a grandiose grouping mixing both engineering and artistry. They're located just in front of the museum complex called Aljibes de las Peñuelas and can be visited free of charge.