Cádiz is a city in Spain and the capital of the province of Cádiz in the region of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, near the Atlantic Ocean, and is separated from the nearby city of San Fernando by a narrow strip of land. Cádiz is one of the oldest cities in Western Europe, founded by the Phoenicians as a trading post. In the 18th century, the port in the Bay of Cádiz became the main harbor for mainland Spain and had almost exclusive control over trade with the Americas until 1778. The city is also home to the University of Cádiz.
Cádiz is built on a narrow piece of land surrounded by the sea. In many ways, it is a typical Andalusian city with many well-preserved historical buildings. The older part of the city, within the remains of its old walls, is called the Old Town (Spanish: Casco Antiguo) and covers a large part of the city. This area includes several old neighborhoods, such as El Pópulo, La Viña, and Santa María, which look very different from the newer parts of the city. The Old Town has narrow, winding streets that lead to large open squares, while newer areas of Cádiz have wide streets and modern buildings. The city also has many parks where unusual plants grow, including large trees that were brought to the Iberian Peninsula from the Americas. One of these parks is the historic Parque Genovés.
Names and etymology
The Phoenician language used the word "Gadir" or "Agadir" (Phoenician: ʾgdr) to describe the site. These names mean "wall," "compound," or "stronghold" by metonymy. The Berber languages later borrowed this term, leading to "agadir" in Tamazight (meaning "wall") and Shilha (meaning "fortified granary"). This name appears in many North African place names, including the city of Agadir in Morocco. The Carthaginians also used this name, and all later names are based on it.
Ancient Greek sources changed the name to "tà Gádeira" (Ancient Greek: τὰ Γάδειρα), which is a neuter plural. Herodotus, who used Ionic Greek, wrote it as "Gḗdeira" (Γήδειρα). Rarely, as in the writings of Stephanus of Byzantium, the name was written in the feminine singular form as "hè Gadeíra" (ἡ Γαδείρα).
In Latin, the city was called "Gādēs," and its Roman colony was named "Augusta Urbs Iulia Gaditana," meaning "The August City of Julia of Cádiz." In Arabic, the Latin name became "Qādis" (Arabic: قادس), from which the Spanish name "Cádiz" is derived. In Spanish, people and things from Cádiz are called "gaditano."
The same root also appears in other languages, such as modern Italian "Càdice," Catalan "Cadis," Portuguese "Cádis," and French "Cadix." The French name was often used in English sources before the 20th century.
The name "Cales," usually referring to Calais in France, was also used for Cádiz in specific historical contexts. For example, it appeared in the 1596 Capture of Cádiz by British and Dutch forces, as noted by Thomas Percy in his introduction to the ballad "The Winning of Cales."
In English, the name "Cádiz" is traditionally spelled without an acute accent on the "a." It is pronounced differently depending on where the accent is placed. If the accent is on the second syllable, it is usually pronounced /kəˈdɪz/. If the accent is on the first syllable, it may be pronounced /ˈkeɪdɪz/, /ˈkɑːdɪz/, or /ˈkædɪz/, especially in American English. In Spanish, the accent is always on the first syllable. In Spain, it is typically pronounced [ˈkaðiθ], while in the local dialect of Cádiz, it may be [ˈkaði] or [ˈka.i].
History
Cádiz was first built by Phoenicians from Tyre around 1100 BC. It is considered one of the oldest cities in Western Europe that still exists today. The city was an important trading center, established to access metals like gold, tin, and especially silver. The Phoenicians built a port in the 7th century BC.
Historians traditionally say Cádiz was founded around 1100 BC, but no evidence from that time has been found. Some believe the early settlement, called Gadir, was a small seasonal trading post.
Ancient Gadir was located on two small islands, Erytheia and Kotinoussa. Erytheia was the main settlement, while Kotinoussa had cemeteries and religious sites. These islands are now connected. Modern Cádiz covers the ruins of Gadir, but most of the ancient city remains unexcavated, except for areas near the southern cemeteries.
By the 6th century BC, Phoenicia faced challenges, such as the fall of Tyre to the Babylonians in 573 BC. This led to the end of Phoenician control in southern Iberia. Carthage later took over the region.
Phoenician explorers like Himilco and Hanno began their journeys from Cádiz. The settlement traded with Tartessos, a city whose exact location is unknown but is believed to be near the mouth of the Guadalquivir River.
One of Gadir’s notable features was a temple dedicated to the Phoenician god Melqart. Greeks and Romans later associated Melqart with Hercules, calling him "Tyrian Hercules" and "Hercules Gaditanus." The temple had an oracle and was known for its wealth. In Greek myths, Hercules was said to have founded Gadeira after defeating Geryon, a three-headed monster. Some historians believe the columns of this temple inspired the myth of the "pillars of Hercules."
Cádiz came under Carthaginian control after Hamilcar Barca’s campaign in Iberia following the First Punic War. The city became a base for Hannibal during his conquest of southern Iberia. He offered sacrifices to Hercules/Melqart before his famous journey to invade Italy in 218 BC. Later, the Romans captured Cádiz in 206 BC under Scipio Africanus.
During the Roman Republic and Empire, the city was known as Gades. It thrived as a port and naval base. Julius Caesar visited Gades as a young senator and saw a statue of Alexander the Great there. In 49 BC, Caesar granted Roman citizenship to all of Gades’ residents. By the time of Augustus, Cádiz had over 500 wealthy citizens, a number matched only by Rome and Padua. The city was the capital of the Roman colony of Augusta Urbs Julia Gaditana. An aqueduct brought fresh water to the city, though the island’s natural water supply was poor. Most wealthy citizens lived on estates outside the city, leading to the fame of Gaditan dancing girls.
Although not the westernmost city in Spain, the Romans believed Cádiz was. The poet Juvenal wrote about the city in his famous tenth satire.
The Visigoths destroyed the original city in the 400s AD. Later, the Byzantines controlled the area until the Visigoths reclaimed it in 572 AD.
Under Moorish rule from 711 to 1262, the city was called Qādis, which inspired its modern Spanish name. A Muslim legend spoke of a giant idol near Cádiz that blocked the Strait of Gibraltar with strong winds and currents. Its destruction in 1145 supposedly allowed ships to pass through the strait again. The legend also appeared in medieval texts, though no such structure is mentioned in classical sources. In 1217, Frisian crusaders attacked Cádiz, burning the city and destroying its mosque. The Moors were driven out by Alphonso X of Castile in 1262.
A Jewish community lived in Cádiz during Muslim rule.
During the Age of Exploration, Cádiz experienced growth. Christopher Columbus sailed from Cádiz on his second and fourth voyages. The city became the home port of the Spanish treasure fleet, making it a target for enemies. In the 16th century, Barbary corsairs raided the city, and a major fire destroyed much of the old town in 1569. In 1587, Englishman Francis Drake attacked Cádiz, capturing ships and destroying 31 others. This event became known as "Singeing the King of Spain’s Beard." The attack delayed the Spanish Armada’s departure by a year.
In 1596, an Anglo-Dutch fleet captured Cádiz, destroying 32 Spanish ships and looting the city for a month. When the Spanish refused to pay a ransom, the attackers burned parts of the city before leaving. Another English raid in 1625 failed. During the Anglo-Spanish War, Admiral Robert Blake blockaded Cádiz from 1655 to 1657. In 1702, the English attacked again but were repelled after a costly siege.
In the 18th century, the Guadalquivir River’s sandbars forced Spain to move its American trade from Seville to Cádiz. This made Cádiz a key port for Atlantic trade, leading to a new period of prosperity. Many historic buildings in Cádiz’s Old City date from this time. The city became one of Spain’s most important and diverse cities, with trading communities from many countries.
Diocese
The Diocese of Cádiz and Ceuta is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seville. This means it operates under the authority of the main archdiocese in Seville. The diocese was established in 1263 after the area was reclaimed from the Moors during the Reconquista. In 1753, the Concordat agreement allowed the Spanish crown to appoint people to church positions and collect taxes from church lands. As part of this agreement, the Diocese of Cádiz was combined with the Diocese of Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the northern coast of Africa. The bishop of Cádiz automatically became the apostolic administrator of Ceuta due to this role.
Main sights
Among many landmarks of historical and scenic interest in Cádiz is a cathedral that shows many different architectural styles, a theater, an old municipal building, an 18th-century watchtower, remains of the ancient city wall, an ancient Roman theater, and modern electrical pylons that carry cables across the Bay of Cádiz. The old town has narrow streets that connect squares (plazas), which are bordered by the sea and the city walls. Most of the important buildings are located in these plazas.
The old town of Cádiz is one of the most densely populated areas in Europe. It is filled with narrow streets and several plazas, including Plaza de Mina, Plaza San Antonio, Plaza de Candelaria, Plaza de San Juan de Dios, and Plaza de España.
In the center of the old town, Plaza de Mina was developed in the first half of the 19th century. Before this, the land was an orchard owned by the convent of San Francisco. In 1838, the architect Torcuato Benjumeda and later Juan Daura converted the area into a plaza. Trees were planted in 1861, and the plaza was redesigned again in 1897. It has remained nearly unchanged since then. The plaza is named after General Francisco Espoz y Mina, a hero of the war of independence. Manuel de Falla y Matheu was born at number 3 Plaza de Mina, where a plaque marks his home. The plaza also includes statues, such as a bust of José Macpherson, a pioneer in the study of rocks and Earth layers, who was born at number 12 Plaza de Mina in 1839. The Museum of Cádiz is located at number 5 Plaza de Mina. It displays objects from Cádiz’s 3,000-year history and works by artists like Peter Paul Rubens. Many of the buildings facing the plaza are examples of neo-classical architecture or Isabelline Gothic style and were originally homes for the Cádiz bourgeoisie.
The Plaza de la Catedral houses both the Cathedral and the Baroque church of Santiago, built in 1635.
Next to Plaza de Mina is a smaller square that contains the San Francisco church and convent. Originally built in 1566, the convent was renovated in the 17th century when its cloisters were added. Before becoming a plaza, this area was the orchard of the convent.
In the 19th century, Plaza San Antonio was Cádiz’s main square. It is surrounded by mansions built in neo-classical or Isabelline Gothic style, which were once homes for the city’s upper classes. The San Antonio church, originally built in 1669, is also located in the plaza.
Plaza San Antonio was built in the 18th century. On March 19, 1812, the Spanish Constitution of 1812 was proclaimed there, leading to the plaza being named Plaza de la Constitución. Later, it was renamed Plaza San Antonio after the hermit San Antonio. In 1954, the city’s mayor declared the plaza a historic site, and no new construction is allowed there.
Plaza de Candelaria is named after the Candelaria convent, which once stood in the square until it was demolished in 1873 under the First Spanish Republic. The land was later turned into a plaza. The plaza has a statue of Emilio Castelar, president of the first Spanish Republic, who was born in a house facing the square. Another plaque marks the home of Bernardo O’Higgins, an Irish-Chilean adventurer and former Chilean leader, who also lived in the square.
One of Cádiz’s most famous landmarks is its cathedral. Known locally as the “New Cathedral,” it is officially called the Cathedral de “Santa Cruz sobre el mar” or “Santa Cruz sobre las Aguas.” It was not built on the site of the original Cathedral de Santa Cruz, which was completed in 1263 by Alfonso X. The original cathedral was destroyed in 1596 during an attack by the Anglo-Dutch forces. Reconstruction of the old cathedral began in the early 17th century, but when Cádiz became wealthier after the move of the Casa de Contratación from Seville to Cádiz in 1717, a grander cathedral was planned.
Work on the New Cathedral started in 1722 and was led by architect Vicente Acero, who also designed the Granada Cathedral. Acero left the project, and other architects took over. The cathedral, which was originally intended to be a Baroque building with some Rococo elements, was completed in the neoclassical style after 116 years of construction. Its chapels contain paintings and relics from the old cathedral in Cádiz and from monasteries across Spain.
Construction of the plaza began in the 15th century on land reclaimed from the sea. After the city walls were demolished in 1906, the plaza expanded, and a statue of Segismundo Moret, a Cádiz politician, was added. The Ayuntamiento, or town hall of Cádiz’s Old City, was built in two stages. The first stage, in the neoclassical style, began in 1799 under architect Torcuato Benjumeda. The second stage, completed in 1861, was designed by García del Alamo in the Isabelline Gothic style. In 1936, the flag of Andalusia was first raised here.
Plaza de España is a large square near the port. It is dominated by the Monument to the Constitution of 1812, which was built after part of the old city wall was demolished. The plaza was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the liberal constitution, which was proclaimed in Cádiz in 1812. The monument was designed by architect Modesto Lopez Otero and sculptor Aniceto Marinas. Construction began in 1912 and was completed in 19
Climate
Cádiz has a type of Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa; Trewartha: Csal) with mild winters and warm to hot summers. The city is strongly influenced by the sea because it is located on a narrow peninsula. Cádiz has one of the warmest winters in Spain and all of Europe, with an average temperature of 12.9 °C (55.2 °F) in the coldest month. The city receives more than 3,000 hours of sunshine each year, making it one of the sunniest places in Europe. Even though summer nights can feel very hot, daytime temperatures are cooler than in nearby inland areas like Jerez and other hot regions in Andalucía. The average sea temperature is about 16 °C (61 °F) in winter and about 22 °C (72 °F) in summer. There has been no recorded snowfall in Cádiz since 1935.
Beaches
Cádiz, located on a peninsula, has many beaches.
La Playa de la Caleta is the most famous beach in Cádiz. It has been mentioned in Carnival songs because of its beauty and its closeness to the Barrio de la Viña. This beach is part of the Old City and lies between two castles, San Sebastian and Santa Catalina. It is about 400 meters (1,300 feet) long and 30 meters (98 feet) wide during low tide. La Caleta and the nearby boulevard look similar to parts of Havana, the capital of Cuba, such as the malecon. Because of this resemblance, it was used as a filming location for some scenes in the James Bond movie Die Another Day.
La Playa de la Victoria, located in the newer part of Cádiz, is the most visited beach by both tourists and local residents. It is approximately 3 kilometers long and has an average width of 50 meters (160 feet) of sand. The gentle waves and lack of rocks make it a good place for families to swim. A street separates the beach from the city, and behind the street are many shops and restaurants.
La Playa de Santa María del Mar, also called Playita de las Mujeres, is a small beach between La Playa de la Victoria and La Playa de la Caleta. It offers great views of the old district of Cádiz.
Other beaches in Cádiz include Torregorda, Cortadura, and El Chato.
Culture
The Spanish spoken in Cádiz has features from Western Andalusian and city dialects. It is seseante, which means the sounds of "s" and "z" are not different. The "s" is pronounced using the front part of the tongue (predorsal s). Important traits include:
These traits make the Cádiz accent special, showing the influence of local and city speech patterns.
The Carnival of Cádiz is one of the most well-known carnivals in the world. Throughout the year, carnival-related events happen often in the city, such as rehearsals, public shows, and contests.
The Carnival of Cádiz is famous for satirical groups called chirigotas, which perform funny musical pieces. A chirigota usually has seven to twelve performers who sing, act, and improvise with guitars, kazoos, a bass drum, and other noise-making instruments. Other groups include choruses; ensembles called comparsas, which sing in harmony like barbershop quartets or mariachis; cuartetos, with four (or sometimes three) performers who alternate between dramatic parodies and humorous songs; and romanceros, storytellers who recite tales in verse. These performances turn the city into a lively open-air theater for two weeks in February.
The Concurso Oficial de Agrupaciones Carnavalescas (the official group of carnival performers) holds a competition each year at the Gran Teatro Falla (mentioned earlier) where chirigotas and other performers compete for prizes. This event is the highlight of the Cádiz carnival.
The food of Cádiz includes stews and sweets typical of the comarca and the city.
Demographics
According to a 2021 census estimate, the population of the city of Cádiz was 114,244. This makes it the third-most-populated city in its province, which includes Jerez de la Frontera (212,830 inhabitants) and Algeciras (122,982 inhabitants). Cádiz is the only capital city in Spain that is not the most or second-most populated city in its province. It is the fifty-seventh-largest city in Spain. In recent years, the city's population has steadily decreased. It is the only city in the Bay of Cádiz (a region that includes Cádiz, Chiclana, El Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Real, and San Fernando) whose population has declined. Forecasts suggest that Cádiz may become the fourth or fifth city in the province after losing more than 10,000 inhabitants between 2011 and 2021. Between 1995 and 2006, the city lost over 14,000 residents, a decrease of 9%.
One reason for the population loss is the city's unique geography. Cádiz is located on a narrow strip of land surrounded by the sea. This limits the amount of land available for development. The city has little vacant land, and many buildings are low-rise (two or three stories tall), which means they can house only a small number of people. Older parts of the city contain buildings that are too old or historically important to be replaced.
Other physical factors also limit population growth. It is not possible to build new land by taking it from the sea because of new laws about coastal development. Additionally, because Cádiz is built on a sandspit, it is expensive to build deep foundations needed for tall buildings. As a result, the city's skyline has not changed much since the Middle Ages. A 17th-century watchtower, the Tavira Tower, still offers a view of the city and bay despite its height of 45 meters (148 feet).
Cádiz has the highest unemployment rate among provincial capitals in Spain. This also contributes to population loss, as young people between 18 and 30 years old often move to other cities in Spain, such as Madrid and Castellón, or to other countries in Europe and the Americas. The population under 20 years old makes up 20.58% of the total, and the population over 65 years old makes up 21.67%, making Cádiz one of the oldest cities in Spain.
The population distribution in Cádiz is very uneven. In its inhabited areas, the city is one of the most densely populated in Europe. However, large areas such as the Zona Franca industrial zone, Bay of Cádiz Port Area, and Bay of Cádiz Natural Park cover 63.63% of the city's total area and are not inhabited. The entire population lives in the remaining 4.4 square kilometers (1.7 square miles), with an average density of nearly 30,000 people per square kilometer. For statistical purposes, the city is divided into 10 areas. The most densely populated area has 39,592 people per square kilometer, while the least densely populated has 20,835.
The table below lists the area, population, and population density of the ten statistical divisions of Cádiz. Divisions 1 to 7 are part of the old town, and divisions 8, 9, and 10 belong to the "new city." Area is measured in square kilometers, and population density is given in inhabitants per square kilometer.
Transportation
Cádiz is connected to European road route E5, which links it to cities such as Sevilla, Córdoba, and Madrid in the north, and to Algeciras in the southeast. This route continues as E15 toward the north along Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
The city is served by Jerez Airport, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the city center. The airport provides regular domestic flights to Madrid and Barcelona, as well as scheduled and seasonal flights to the United Kingdom, Germany, and other European locations. The Cercanías Cádiz line C1 connects the airport to Cádiz’s main train station in about one hour.
Cádiz railway station is situated just outside the old town. It offers suburban, regional, and national train services. A connection to the Madrid-Seville high-speed rail line was completed in 2015 after 14 years of construction. This allows high-speed Alvia trains to reach the city. Local trains also provide access to nearby areas and regional destinations along the line to Jerez and Seville. The station is also the terminal for the new Cádiz Bay tram-train.
A port near the train station offers weekly ferry services to the Canary Islands, with travel times of 2 to 3 days. The port also serves as a stop for seasonal cruise ships.