Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Ñaño house with mausoleum skull in foreground.
Ñaño Casa Museo
Honningsvåg Bamse Statue
Honningsvåg Bamse Statue
The salt cairn.
The Lewis and Clark Salt Works
South entrance.
Reigate Tunnel
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
9 days ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
10 days ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
10 days ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
10 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain Aranjuez Cascada de las Castañuelas

Cascada de las Castañuelas

This waterfall, also known as the “the castanets” is said to mimic the sounds of the waves in Portugal.

Aranjuez, Spain

Added By
Javier Pascual Aguilar
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Castanets Waterfall   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Castanets Waterfall   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Duck in front of the castanets.   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the castanets.   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Castanets Waterfall   Javier Perez Montes, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Castanets Waterfall   Miguel Hermoso Cuesta, CC BY-SA 3.0 ES <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/es/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons
Castanets Waterfall   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Castanets Waterfall   Miguel Hermoso Cuesta, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Barbara of Portugal was born in 1711, and became Queen of Spain through her marriage to King Ferdinand VI. She was known for her intelligence and political acumen and exerted influence over her husband by helping him with the administration of Spain.

One of the things the Queen Consort received from her husband was the inclusion of the Castanets waterfall in the project to divert the Tagus River. Rumor has it that this was mainly so she could hear a roar from the royal palace that resembled the sound of the waves in her native Portugal.

The waterfall is semicircular and opens in a fan shape near the north wall of the palace and the Patio de Pescadores, which is part of the same canalization of the Tagus as La Ría after crossing the bridge “La Escalinata” or “Veneciano,” which connects the Parterre and Island gardens.

The Cascada de las Castañuelas in Aranjuez is a jewel of Spanish landscape design. This masterpiece was created by the architect and landscape designer Esteban Boutelou and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The waterfall manages to convey a serene and majestic atmosphere. Its careful design and harmonious integration into the natural environment make the Castanets waterfall an unmissable destination for art and nature lovers.

Related Tags

Design Waterfalls Fountains

Know Before You Go

This semi-circular waterfall, in the shape of a fan next to the palace and the so-called Patio de Pescadores can be found at the exit of the “La Escalinata” bridge, which connects the gardens of the parterre and the island.

Community Contributors

Added By

Xavixavir

Published

June 3, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.aranjuezenunclick.org/cascada-de-las-castanuelas/
  • https://www.fotonazos.es/2011/03/la-cascada-de-las-castanuelas/
Cascada de las Castañuelas
101 C. de Reales Guardias Españolas
Aranjuez, 28300
Spain
40.037059, -3.608372
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Pajarera del Jardín de la Isla

Aranjuez, Spain

miles away

Museo de Falúas Reales (Royal Barges Museum)

Aranjuez, Spain

miles away

Aranjuez Bullfighting Museum

Aranjuez, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Aranjuez

Aranjuez

Spain

Places 3

Nearby Places

Pajarera del Jardín de la Isla

Aranjuez, Spain

miles away

Museo de Falúas Reales (Royal Barges Museum)

Aranjuez, Spain

miles away

Aranjuez Bullfighting Museum

Aranjuez, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Aranjuez

Aranjuez

Spain

Places 3

Related Places

  • Fontana dei Libri

    Rome, Italy

    Fontana dei Libri

    A small but very fascinating fountain in the center of Rome with four books and a deer carved.

  • Bucket Fountain

    Wellington, New Zealand

    Bucket Fountain

    Referred to as "the crappiest fountain ever," this sculpture has been splashing unknowing passersby since 1969.

  • La font.

    Barcelona, Spain

    Font de Sant Just

    This fountain was designed to honor the man who helped bring water to Barcelona.

  • Trying to show the different types of symbolic jets.

    Vienna, Austria

    Hochstrahlbrunnen

    Along the edge of this fountain are 365 smaller fountains that represent the days of the year.

  • Kothari Pyau

    Mumbai, India

    Kothari Pyau

    Constructed in 1923, this is one of several heritage drinking fountains across Mumbai.

  •  The Storyteller

    Birmingham, Alabama

    'The Storyteller'

    This fountain was commissioned by a mother grieving over her son's passing.

  • The Dolphin Fountain

    Melbourne, Australia

    The Dolphin Fountain

    Somewhat controversial when first unveiled, this gathering of sea creatures has become a hidden gem.

  • Dr James Ramsay Fountain

    Prahran, Australia

    Dr James Ramsay Fountain

    This Australian drinking fountain pays tribute to the generosity and talent of a 19th-century Scottish doctor.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.