Are you coming to discover it?
Are you coming to discover it?
The Fluvial Port of El Rivero, along with the Casa Lonja (market house), was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 2009. Historically, this port was one of the most active docks in eastern Cantabria for centuries, even serving as the port for Castile.
The port’s reconstruction, on an older foundation, was carried out by master stonemason Pedro Toca Solórzano. The restoration of the ancient medieval port in the early 18th century created a remarkable ensemble, where industrial and architectural heritage harmonises with the natural surroundings of the estuary and marshlands.
All types of vessels docked at the Port of Limpias, from large sailing ships to sloops, brigantines, and ketches. Today, small boats and skiffs float peacefully nearby. It became a major export point for products such as wheat from Castile transported via the Tornos Pass, citrus fruits, chestnuts, local txakoli wines, and minerals and coal from nearby mines, primarily destined for Flanders and even the Americas. It was also an entry point for iron ore from Biscay for the forges of Carranza, Soba, and Rasines, which was transported by ox teams from the loading area to the forge sites. At La Venera, Somorrostro ore and iron from Limpias mines were stockpiled. Today, La Venera is the Town Hall square.
During the early 18th century, the port witnessed intense maritime activity along the Asón estuary, further fuelled by the establishment of forges, hammer mills, and an anchor factory nearby. The proliferation of these ironworks and hammers in the area was due to the vital importance of iron production, which, once processed, was shipped through the Puerto del Rivero in Limpias.
The functioning of this port was associated with a series of buildings or warehouses along the Asón River, which served multiple purposes and were mainly intended for the storage, loading, and unloading of goods, as well as for the lodging of travellers and as a tavern. The Puerto del Rivero is made of ashlar stone and is adapted with a solution of ramps and stairs. Its construction led to an interesting commercial boom for the municipality, through transactions that facilitated the export of iron goods, chestnuts, corn, and wheat, as well as the redistribution of oil, cod, plaster, coal from Soba and Carranza, iron from Biscay, brandy, fruits, "chacolí" (a type of Basque wine), flour, fats, and soap.
This port and its optimal location made it a key point for the import and export of products from the entire area, and even from Castile. During the 18th century, its importance was considerable, and it became the entry point for Biscayan ore to supply the ironworks in Carranza, Soba, and Rasines, which were transported by ox teams from the loading area to their final destinations. The scale and impact of the port activity in Limpias at that time is reflected in documents from the period. In 1737, Sebastián Ortiz del Hoyo, a resident of Santoña, shipped two ships of chestnuts from this port to Holland, the first of which carried a load of 1,236 "fanegas." The "fanega" was a measure of capacity used for grain, equivalent in Castile to approximately 55.5 litres.
Its economic importance became so significant that the renowned geographer Pascual Madoz, in the mid-19th century, cited the economic data generated by this port infrastructure in his work “Diccionario geográfico-estadístico de España y sus posesiones de ultramar” (Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Spain and Its Overseas Possessions). Between 1822 and 1833, all types of vessels, including launches, schooners, and small boats, docked here to load all kinds of products.
In addition to the goods trade, from 1845 onwards, a direct shipping line from the Puerto del Rivero to Havana operated with sailing ships owned by Mr Suárez, a local shipowner, with voyages that could last up to two months. Between 1863 and 1868, an average of one ship docked every two days.
The Military Museum Park of the Spanish Navy, located in the Espina neighbourhood near the Limpias-Treto estuary at the mouth of the Asón River, offers visitors a 200-metre display of military items. Among the exhibited pieces are cannons, underwater mines, torpedoes, and other devices that provide an intriguing insight into Spanish military history. This exhibition stands out for its scale, and although it comprises a limited number of pieces, this open-air space is well worth a visit.
The importance of water supply in Limpias was a constant through the 18th and 19th centuries, leading to numerous projects to capture water to supply fountains, troughs, washhouses, and private homes. The most significant of these projects was the construction of the Espina Aqueduct.
Built with masonry and featuring several arches, it was erected around 1809, becoming an iconic example of Limpias’s industrial and hydraulic heritage, as well as a symbol of the Espina neighbourhood. Its function was essential, as it supplied water to the emerging industrial activities and extended the water supply to other neighbourhoods, such as El Rivero, where the significant river port was located. With over two centuries of history, it remains a symbol of Limpias’s industrial heyday.
The first major water infrastructure projects date back to the early 19th century. In a report from 1897, it was stated: “At the beginning of this century, from 1808 to 1814, a private citizen of Limpias, Don Cayetano Bernales, undertook at his own expense the works to conduct drinking water that still exists today, drawing it from the spring known as ‘La Espina’ and establishing the three present fountains, two for public use and one for the private service of Don Gregorio López’s estate. The conduits were made of clay, with significant leakage and insufficient to supply the population’s needs.”
The Royal Roadwhich connected Laredo with Burgos since the Middle Ages, gained importance due to its category and significance as the main route linking the interior of the Kingdom of Castile with the Cantabrian coast. For centuries, it maintained a bustling commercial trade that facilitated the exchange of goods from the Port of Laredo, which, through shipping, connected to the Atlantic coast of Europe (French Atlantic coast, Flanders, English ports, etc.). It is noted that in 1556, Emperor Charles V also travelled this route on his way to Burgos en route to his retirement in the Monastery of Yuste in Cáceres.
The Clock Tower or Otero Tower is situated on a small elevation near the fluvial port of Rivero, approximately 84 metres above sea level. Efforts to reconstruct this monument began in 1844; however, due to insufficient funds, it was proposed that a subscription be opened to gather financial support. Don Toribio López and Don Manuel Bringas were appointed to raise funds in Espina and El Rivero, respectively. The clock was commissioned from Don Francisco Solana.
The tower, square in design and constructed with masonry, consists of three sections separated by mouldings and is capped by a small dome in the form of a truncated pyramid. This dome is topped with a small structure housing the bell. Access is via a rectangular opening within a semi-circular arch.
In the past, the tolling of its bells marked the rhythms and work of the fields in the Lower Asón area. It is said that from this tower, the sound and sight could reach as many as twenty-two churches or chapels. The clock was allegedly placed at the insistence of the esteemed local figure, the “Count of Albox,” who, after frequently being asked the time (as he was the only person with a pocket watch), decided to share this convenience with the community. Though perhaps apocryphal, this story adds a touch of mystery to this distinctive landmark of Limpias, unique in Cantabria.
The current form of this building dates back to the mid-19th century, with documents from 1844 recording the beginning of its reconstruction. Throughout the rest of the 19th and much of the 20th centuries, the bell’s sound could be heard in neighbouring municipalities such as Ampuero and Colindres, as well as nearby localities like Angustina and Carasa.
The reconstruction of this monument had commenced by 1844, but with funds insufficient for completion, a subscription was proposed to gather support to finish it. Don Toribio López and Don Manuel Bringas were appointed to raise funds in Espina and El Rivero, respectively. The clock was commissioned from Don Francisco Solana. When the construction could not be completed, the following decision was reached: “To place it on the church tower temporarily, so it may serve until the necessary works can be completed in the Otero Tower. In this interim, the value of having a bell clock will become evident, and it is hoped that the residents will contribute according to their means to realise this work.” The following year, timber was required for the scaffolding, and lands belonging to the village were identified as contributors to the work.
Economic difficulties remained unsolved, leading to further cost-cutting measures. Ropes were purchased for the clock weights, and it was agreed that “the small church bell shall be removed to serve temporarily until funds are available to replace it with a larger one.”
The project was awarded to Cirilo Aguirre and Juan de Aldecoa, and it was supervised by Faustino Lombera and Pedro de la Quintana.
The tower’s elevated and exposed location left it vulnerable to harsh weather, which frequently caused damage. By 1862, storms had partially destroyed the tower and its clock. Repairs to the clock mechanism were estimated to cost 50 reales, while the building repairs were estimated at 450 reales. (Reales were a form of Spanish currency used up until the late 19th century, eventually replaced by the peseta in 1868 but still in circulation during a transitional period.) Solutions were sought to allow for better preservation of the work. In 1871, it was decided to repair the roof of the tower using zinc or slate to prevent water from entering and damaging the clock, which had become inoperable. The work, performed by Don Julio Chantegei, cost fifty-three pesetas and sixty-five cents. Additionally, the clock was repaired by Mariano López, a watchmaker from Santoña, for fifty pesetas.
In the years that followed, various repairs were made, including to the glass and paint. In 1898, the Mayor was authorised to arrange repairs to the tower clock, which had been out of order for some time and was deemed essential to the community.
An 1899 inventory included “a tower measuring 196 square feet, where the village clock, known as the Otero Clock, is installed on a small hill in the centre of the Limpias neighbourhoods, valued at 500 pesetas.”
Conservation issues continued throughout the 20th century. By 1919, the tower was in ruins, and “the chimes marking the hours could be heard clearly in Ampuero, Colindres, and Treto. A lightning bolt silenced the voice that had announced time to four towns.” In 1922, it was reported that “for several years, storms and ‘electric sparks’ had damaged the clock, leaving its mechanism and the building entirely ruined. Many residents, most of whom are labourers, were left without a way to tell the time.”
Conservation issues continued throughout the 20th century. By 1919, the tower was in ruins, and “the chimes marking the hours could be heard clearly in Ampuero, Colindres, and Treto. A lightning bolt silenced the voice that had announced time to four towns.” In 1922, it was reported that “for several years, storms and ‘electric sparks’ had damaged the clock, leaving its mechanism and the building entirely ruined. Many residents, most of whom are labourers, were left without a way to tell the time.”
The restoration plan included stairs and flooring, windows, doors, and a chestnut railing to access the courtyard. Sandstone or lime masonry, “crafted with standard ashlar, maintaining clean edges and profiles,” was to be used to repair corners, mouldings, cracks, and walls. A fifty-centimetre wall thickness, zinc roofing, and façade whitewashing were also included. The project’s total cost was estimated at 4,874.15 pesetas.
In subsequent years, nearby land was used to plant trees, and a well was constructed “to house the lightning rod cable installed on the tower.”
In subsequent years, nearby land was used to plant trees, and a well was constructed “to house the lightning rod cable installed on the tower.”
In 1981, a weight-driven clock was installed on San Roque Tower, and it was recommended that eucalyptus trees obstructing the view of the clock be felled to ensure visibility from all parts of the town.
Following these episodes of regular maintenance, the clock continues to serve its original function, with its unmistakable chime setting the rhythm for Limpias residents and visitors. From this vantage point, one can enjoy panoramic views of the marshlands and some of the area’s most spectacular sunsets. This beautiful site allows one to watch the gentle flow of the Asón River as it merges into an estuary of significant natural and scenic value.
In 2022, the Cantabrian government opened a file to declare the tower a Site of Local Interest.
The “Fuente del Amor” Street is home to the Parador of Limpias. Inside, you will find a fountain with the same name, “The Fountain of Love.” Built in the early 20th century (1903), it was reconstructed in the early 21st century (2009).
Local history recounts that the town of Coabab was renowned for its thermal waters, known to treat skin ailments. One of these springs may have been located in the Costamar area. It is said that the “clear waters” flowing from these springs inspired the name of Limpias.
Some historic fountains remain, such as the Aro Fountain in the Rucoba district and La Fontanilla on the road to Seña, which have traditionally supplied water to the local population.