Almendra Dam, Hydroelectric dam in Salamanca and Zamora Provinces, Spain
Almendra Dam rises 202 meters high and spans 567 meters across the Tormes River, creating a large artificial lake in the landscape. The reservoir spreads across roughly 8,000 hectares and reshapes the terrain between two provinces.
Construction began in 1964 and the dam was completed in 1970, which resulted in the flooding of several settlements. A memorial chapel was built afterward between 1972 and 1995 to honor those places and the people who lived there.
A memorial chapel called Santa Cruz stands near the dam to honor the submerged village of Argusino that now lies beneath the water. The site preserves the memory of people whose homes were lost to make the project possible.
The best views of the dam structure come from the top or sides of the structure, where you can fully appreciate its scale and design. Access from above is generally easy to walk, and there are informational spots where you can understand how it works.
A 15-kilometer tunnel channels water from the dam to an underground power station near Villarino de los Aires using reversible turbine systems. This hidden infrastructure allows the facility to generate power efficiently while keeping the machinery hidden beneath the surface.
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