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Historic Sites >
Spain > Cadiz
Historic Sites in Cadiz
Historic highlights of Cadiz and the surrounding area include the
Phoenician Ruins,
the
Cape of Trafalgar - scene of an important naval battle,
and the historic port of
Sanlucar, where Columbus launched his ships heading towards the unexpected
'discovery' of the Americas.
Check out details of these and many more sites in the region using the interactive map and table below. Further down you can discover our
audio guides and tours related to the history of Seville.
Select the type of historic site that you are interested in visiting, or choose by historical period.
Battle Sites
Roman Ruins
Cathedral
Historic Quarter
Castle
Palace
Official Buildings
Trade & Commerce
Other
During the Second Punic War, Seville, along with much of coastal Spain, was 'liberated' from the Carthaginians by the Romans - the latter's first significant foray into Iberia. They originally intended to return to Italy. But upon seeing the great mining and agricultural opportunities around Seville, they decided to hang around. Heavy metals and olive oil were staples of Roman life that were always much in demand.
Roman Ruins - Italica
Hispalis prospered greatly in the High Roman Empire, being the birthplace of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian as well as many important functionaries. Like much of the Western Roman Empire, it was in slow decline by the time the Visigoths began the next period of history, running Spain for much of the early Medieval period.
The arrival of the Berber and Arab Muslims in the early 8th century was a defining moment, turning Seville into the capital of the Al-Andalus empire, and one of the most important cities in Europe for the following 500 years. During the Reconquista battles it changed hands a few times, before falling permanently into Christian hands in the 14th century.
The late 15th and early 16th century saw a further revival in Seville's fortunes, as it became the major centre for trade and exploration with the Americas under Isabella I, Charles V and Philip II. Here the voyages of Columbus, Magellan, Pizarro and Cortes were planned, and Seville also received the numerous treasure fleets returning across the Atlantic - resulting in significant wealth in the city.
Seville then declined along with Spain as a major European power in the 17th century. The disastrous Thirty Years War limited Spain's sphere of influence and with it the importance of an internationally connected city such as Seville. By the time that Napoleon invaded in the early 19th century, Seville had already become something of an agricultural backwater, from which it did not really begin to recover from until well into the 20th century.
You may also be interested in the following podcasts, which talk about more specific areas of the history of Seville:
For the more active historians, we run a guided cycling holiday from Seville to Granada. Here we cycle at a leisurely pace between some of the best historic sites in southern Spain.
Ancient World
Al Andalus
Medieval
Reconquista
Golden Age
Early Modern
Modern
| Historic Site | Location | Period | Structure | Assosciated | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italica | Santiponce | Ancient | Roman Ruins | Trajan, Hadrian | 90 |
| San Jorge Castle | Seville | Medieval | Castle | Inquisition | 70 |
| Cathedral & Giralda | Seville | Al Andalus | Cathedral | Columbus | 77 |
| San Jeronimo | Seville | Medieval | Other (Monastery) | - | 30 |
| Alcazar | Seville | Reconquista | Palace | Peter I, Isabella I, Abd al-Rahman III | 84 |
| Ilipa | Alcalá | Ancient | Battle | Scipio Africanus | 18 |
| Guadalquivir River | Seville | Medieval | Battle | Vikings | 55 |
| Plaza Espana | Seville | Modern | Palace & Gardens | Neo-Mudejar | 81 |
| Jewish Quarter | Seville | Medieval | Historic Quarter | Jews | 70 |
| Archive of the Indies | Seville | Golden Age | Official Building | Conquistadors, Exploration | 32 |
| Royal Tobacco Factory | Seville | Golden Age | Commerce | Exploration | 30 |
| Torre del Oro | Seville | Golden Age | Castle | Exploration | 45 |
| Casa de Pilatos | Seville | Golden Age | Art Palace | Art & Sculpture | |
| Palacio de las Dueñas | Seville | Golden Age | Art Palace | Art & Sculpture | |
| Archaeological Museum | Seville | Ancient | Roman | Roman, Visigoths | 65 |
| Antiquarium | Seville | Ancient | Roman | Roman | 45 |
| Caños de Carmona Aqueduct | Seville | Ancient | Roman | Roman | 40 |
| Historic Dockyards | Seville | Reconquista | Commerce | Commerce | 40 |
| Carmo Amphitheatre & Remains | Carmona | Ancient | Roman Ruins | Roman | 61 |
| Seville Gate | Carmona | Ancient | Roman Ruins | Roman | 61 |
A History of Seville in 500 Words
In antiquity, Seville was situated significantly closer to the sea than it is today, and thus it appealed to the greatest sailors and traders of the ancient Mediterranean - the Phoenicians. They established a colony called Hisbaal, probably in around the 9th century BCE, and the region remained under Phoenician and Carthaginian influence until the 3rd century. Throughout this time there was significant trade and social relations with the Iberian Tartessians, who controlled much of the Guadalquivir region at the time.During the Second Punic War, Seville, along with much of coastal Spain, was 'liberated' from the Carthaginians by the Romans - the latter's first significant foray into Iberia. They originally intended to return to Italy. But upon seeing the great mining and agricultural opportunities around Seville, they decided to hang around. Heavy metals and olive oil were staples of Roman life that were always much in demand.
Roman Ruins - Italica
Hispalis prospered greatly in the High Roman Empire, being the birthplace of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian as well as many important functionaries. Like much of the Western Roman Empire, it was in slow decline by the time the Visigoths began the next period of history, running Spain for much of the early Medieval period.
The arrival of the Berber and Arab Muslims in the early 8th century was a defining moment, turning Seville into the capital of the Al-Andalus empire, and one of the most important cities in Europe for the following 500 years. During the Reconquista battles it changed hands a few times, before falling permanently into Christian hands in the 14th century.
The late 15th and early 16th century saw a further revival in Seville's fortunes, as it became the major centre for trade and exploration with the Americas under Isabella I, Charles V and Philip II. Here the voyages of Columbus, Magellan, Pizarro and Cortes were planned, and Seville also received the numerous treasure fleets returning across the Atlantic - resulting in significant wealth in the city.
Seville then declined along with Spain as a major European power in the 17th century. The disastrous Thirty Years War limited Spain's sphere of influence and with it the importance of an internationally connected city such as Seville. By the time that Napoleon invaded in the early 19th century, Seville had already become something of an agricultural backwater, from which it did not really begin to recover from until well into the 20th century.
Tours and Guides to Seville
If you would like to find out more about the history of Seville and the surrounding area, including much more in depth stories which bring these historic sites to life, check out audio tour of the city.You may also be interested in the following podcasts, which talk about more specific areas of the history of Seville:
For the more active historians, we run a guided cycling holiday from Seville to Granada. Here we cycle at a leisurely pace between some of the best historic sites in southern Spain.