The Aljibe Colorao in Los Alcazares

An old Moorish water cistern which was used to feed people and cattle in medieval Los Alcázares

“Aljibe” is an Arabic Word inherited by Spanish from the period of Moorish rule which ended almost 800 years ago in the Region of Murcia, and refers to a water tank or cistern which generally contains drinking water.

Given the strong Moorish connections of Los Alcázares – the name of the town is derived from the Arabic for “fortresses” or “palaces” – and the dry climate of south-eastern Spain, it is not surprising to find such structures in the municipality, and one of them is the Aljibe Colorao (or “red aljibe”). It is known that there were as many as 11 of them here in the Middle Ages, all belonging to the council of Murcia, for use by those working in the fields and those passing through – in the case of transhumance cattle farmers, this included their livestock.

The Aljibe Colorao can be found in the square named after it (click here for map) while others in Los Alcázares include the Aljibe del Rame, the Aljibe de Los Muñoces and the Aljibe de Los Lorenzos.