page_title: Wells of Toledo
hierarchical_section_title: Wells of Toledo
caption_attribution_description: Español: Esquinas con las bolas antiguas que marcan que el edificio tiene un pozo o aljibe English: A corner with the ancient bolas that marks the building has a well or water reserve.
context_page_description: In Toledo, Spain before the standardization of modern plumbing, there were two common ways to get water for one's daily needs. First, there was the Tagus river that runs next to the city, and second there were water wells and water reservoirs that were built inside city plazas and individual houses. Although today the people of Toledo get their water from faucets, the wells and water reservoirs still exist, almost forgotten in the corners and basements of older houses in Toledo. A hidden indication that one can see in the streets of Toledo are the small stone balls or "bolas" in the outside corners of buildings. A family would put this small stone ball in the corner of their house so that their neighbors would know in case of a fire that they had a well or water reservoir inside. Also, at times one can find the places that had a communal well by looking at the names of the streets. A quick search of a map of Toledo and its neighborhoods reveals these streets: Calle del Pozo Amargo, Calle Pozo de las Nieves, Calle Pozo de Dos Bocas, Calle del Pozo Olías, Calle Pozos, Calle del Pozo Nuevo, Calle Pozo del Guindo, and the Calle del Pozo Ayuso.
context_section_description: In Toledo, Spain before the standardization of modern plumbing, there were two common ways to get water for one's daily needs. First, there was the Tagus river that runs next to the city, and second there were water wells (also called pozos in Spanish) and water reservoirs (called aljibes in Spanish) that were built inside city plazas and individual houses. Although today the people of Toledo get their water from faucets, the wells and water reservoirs still exist, almost forgotten in the corners and basements of older houses in Toledo. A hidden indication that one can see in the streets of Toledo are the small stone balls or "bolas" in the outside corners of buildings. A family would put this small stone ball in the corner of their house so that their neighbors would know in case of a fire that they had a well or water reservoir inside. Also, at times one can find the places that had (or still have) a communal well by looking at the names of the streets. A quick search of a map of Toledo and its neighborhoods reveals these streets:  Calle del Pozo Amargo, Calle Pozo de las Nieves, Calle Pozo de Dos Bocas, Calle del Pozo Olías, Calle Pozos, Calle del Pozo Nuevo, Calle Pozo del Guindo, and the Calle del Pozo Ayuso. Although the wells and water reservoirs are not the most popular places to visit for tourists or locals, their histories and legends contribute to the distinct culture that exists in Toledo.
caption: A well/water reservoir indicator in the corner of a building
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