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| Salto del Agua, Mexico City |
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| Were you ever curious about the source of the name of the Salto del Agua metro station in Mexico City? No - it does not relate to the salty waters of the lake surrounding the city before it was drained. Salto in spanish means falls. So then was this a naturals falls between the lakes before the conquerors destroyed everything? No again. In fact it was the terminus of a second aquaduct in from excellent Chapultepec springs west of town built in 1779 to supply the increasing needs of the city. The waterfalls was the artificial one that flowed much as it does today as a fountain here. People would come and fill their buckets and jars with water daily before modern plumbing was installed in homes.
The aquaduct is all gone now - replaced by the major thoroughfares of Avenida Chapultepec and Arcos de Belen. But the name and this terminus fount remain although overlooked these days in the rush if the traffic at the intersection of major east-west street Arcos de Belen and north-south street Lazaro Cardenas. |
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| Approaching from the east on the handy center walkway of Avenida Izazaga (street name changes to Arcos de Belen at the intersection) you can not see the salto because the Capilla de la Inmaculada Concepcion is smack dab in the middle of the intersection. | A sign announcing that the capilla is still open for business. | After you get around the capilla you have this look of the salto with water still running after 230 years miraculously with no aquaduct to feed it due to the proximity of the capilla. Interesting that both lanes of traffic go in the same direction (west) on a divided highway. |
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| A close look at the falls reveals water pouring into a bowl supported by three children riding on dolphins and from fish on the sides. | An old plaque on the north side of the salto. | Viewed from behind looking east you can see the capilla across the street. |