The San Joaquín Fountain or Lavadero de Santa Ana was built in the 16th century. Over the years it has undergone several reforms and remodeling to become the emblematic and peculiar space that it is today.
The monument consists of two rectangular bodies, one of them is the cistern and the other is the laundry room.
Until the second half of the 20th century, this environment set the pace in the town of Padul.
It was a fundamental meeting point not only for women, but also for peasant men and workers who, at sunset, went to look for work or day laborers for the next day.
This laundry room has been especially recognized as a space where women have had a special relevance. Women from any part of the town went to this laundry to wash. The great rise of women washers was such that they used to send their children to occupy a place when it became free.
The work of these women was especially hard, since unlike other laundries, in this one they had to wash on their knees, so the effort was even greater.
One of the least known spaces of this monument, due to being closed for conservation reasons, is the cistern. The word "aljibe" comes from the Arabic, which means well or pit, whose main function is to store water, normally from rain.
By installing drinking water in private homes, it lost value and fewer people came. For years, this place seemed dead and abandoned, but after several restorations, it has managed to enjoy a well-preserved space and one of the most charming and emblematic places in the municipality.
To this day, this space is used for various cultural events: concerts during summer nights, activities for children, movie nights and many other summer night activities that you can discover in summer.
