Museo de los Caños del Peral

The Museo de los Caños del Peral in Madrid is an archaeological museum located on the ground level of the Ópera metro station, and it is free for all passengers to visit. It houses the remains of a historic spring, rediscovered in 2009, which was named in the 13th century after a pear tree that grew there. In the Middle Ages and the early modern period, the site served as one of the city's first hammams, and later supplied the population and the washerwomen with water through a complex system of water carriers and the royal Amaniel aqueduct. The structure, built of granite blocks in the 17th century, was buried below the surface in 1809 to make room for the construction of the Teatro Real and the surrounding squares. Today, alongside the original remains of the fountain, the museum also displays finds such as parts of the old Arenal canal and the aqueduct. A replica of a small section of the fountain also adorns the Plaza de Isabel II and recalls this important chapter of the city's history.