Tanque La Unión

The stone arches of Tanque La Unión frame a massive, rectangular communal washing basin that stretches across the plaza. Built in eighteen ninety-three, the structure replaced a smaller site for public laundry that had served the neighborhood for generations. In the nineteenth century, most homes in Antigua lacked private water access, so women gathered here daily to scrub clothing against the carved stone edges. Local legend says that the water depth was adjusted specifically to ensure the best angle for beating fabric clean.