Búbal reservoir, embalse situado en el Valle de Tena, provincia de Huesca, España
The Búbal reservoir is a large body of water in the Tena Valley in Huesca Province, stretching approximately 5 kilometers and surrounded by mountains. Built in the early 1970s using the Gállego River, the dam generates electricity while the surrounding slopes and forests create natural conditions for water sports and hiking trails.
The village of Búbal was originally a stone settlement in the mountains with a long history of habitation. In the early 1960s plans were set in motion to build a dam, and by the early 1970s the village was flooded to create the reservoir, submerging homes and surrounding fields under water.
The name Búbal comes from Basque origins meaning wilderness. Today the village attracts young visitors and students who come to learn traditional crafts like masonry and carpentry while experiencing rural mountain life and connecting with regional heritage.
The reservoir is open year-round and most popular during warmer months for swimming and water sports like kayaking and windsurfing. The nearby village of Búbal serves as a quiet base with simple accommodations and walking trails through surrounding forests and along riverbanks.
After flooding submerged the original village, Búbal was revived and has served since 1984 as an educational program where young students from cities learn traditional crafts and experience mountains and snow for the first time. This unusual rescue project transformed an abandoned place into a living classroom where new generations reconnect with rural traditions.
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