It's such a beautiful expression: 'don't judge a book by its cover.' We don't have a similarly catchy expression in Dutch for this concept. It's about not relying on appearances. We often do that, with people, buildings, cities, and landscapes. It's not surprising; it's the first impression, and you can quickly form a picture. But what's the use of that picture if you don't know the inside? Only when you've been able to look behind the face, the facade, do you have a more complete picture, with people, buildings, cities and landscapes. A city to which this certainly applies is Càdiz in Southern Spain. You could call it the inverse of Venice. Venice is a city that greets you with its grandeur. Càdiz is different. Rarely have we seen a city that presents itself with its back turned outward. Càdiz doesn't reveal itself easily but is definitely worth further exploration.
Our experience is that very few people have been to Càdiz. It is located in Andalusia in Southern Spain, a highly popular tourist region. However, Seville and Cordoba, which are also in the same area, rate much higher when it comes to tourist highlights. In addition, the places on the Costa del Sol on the Mediterranean Sea are much more well known, including smaller towns like Marbella. When driving from east to west in Andalusia, you have to pass by Gibraltar and the Los Alcornocales National Park to reach the part of the province that lies on the Atlantic Ocean. There you will find Càdiz, with its fortress extending far into the sea.
Historically, many first saw this city from the sea. In 1100 BC, Gadir was built on a small peninsula, which meant a walled city. For centuries, it was an important trading centre. In the time of the Romans, the city, then called Gades, gained significance as a trading hub between Andalusia and Rome.
Little is known about the city during the Visigothic and Moorish periods, but in 1240, the city was conquered by Ferdinand III the Holy and permanently occupied in 1262 by his son Alfonso X the Wise. The city's importance increased from that moment and led to the construction of the walled district . Three of the four original gates from the 13th century can still be found here: Arco de los Blancos, Arco del Pópulo, and Arco de la Rosa. The last one stands at the Plaza de la Catedral.
In the 15th century, the city gained importance due to the discovery of America. The city expanded, and the
district emerged. This district is located just behind the Puerta de Tierra, but the real entrance to the city is still at the Plaza de la Constitutión. Here stands the city gate, part of the fortress with a dry moat in front. This is the most beautiful view of the city from the land side, the San Fernando isthmus.
The city's growth came to an end in 1596 when it was plundered and devastated by the Earl of Essex. The city recovered in the 17th century, as seen in the many Baroque buildings and churches. The real period of prosperity began in 1717 when the Chamber of Commerce (Casa de Contractión) moved from Seville to Càdiz. From that moment Càdiz became the centre of trans-Atlantic trade.
In the early 19th century, Spain became involved in the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain in 1808, occupying Madrid and large parts of the country and deposing King Ferdinand VII. This led to a crisis in Spain, with various groups and factions trying to determine how the country should be governed in the absence of the legitimate king. In 1810, the Cortes Generales (a parliament) were convened in Cádiz, which was still under Spanish control at the time. Cádiz was historically known for its liberal and progressive traditions and was a centre of intellectual and political activity. The city had a long history of involvement in discussions about democracy and constitutional reforms. The Cortes consisted of delegates from different parts of Spain and represented a wide range of political views.
During the Cortes meetings - it is claimed that there were 1,400 sessions held - intensive discussions and negotiations took place regarding the future constitution of Spain. The constitution that was ultimately adopted, known as la Constitutión de 1812 (the Constitution of 1812), was highly progressive for its time. It included provisions such as the separation of powers, equality
before the law, and civil liberties. The Constitution was adopted on March 19, 1812, and implemented in Spain. It laid the foundation for a constitutional monarchy and limited the king's power in favour of the parliament and the rule of law. This Constitution influenced later constitutions and constitutional
movements in Spain. It also had an impact on constitutional movements in other parts of the world, such as in Latin America, where many former Spanish colonies sought independence and self-governance.
Cádiz made a name for itself with the creation of the Constitution and takes pride in this history, which can also be found throughout the city. For example, one hundred years after the Constitution, the Spanish Government commissioned the creation of a , the Monument to the Constitution of 1812 which was completed in 1929. It is located on the Plaza de España on the north side of the city. The monument was designed by Modesto López Otero, and the sculpture work was created by Aniceto Marinas. It is a grand monument that seems to embrace you as a spectator. Its base represents a room with an empty presidential chair. Bronze statues representing peace and war stand on either side. In the centre, a column displays the principles of the 1812 Constitution. At the base of the column, Spain is depicted as a woman with sculptural groups on either side symbolising agriculture and citizenship.
You can also find traces of the 1812 Constitution in other places. The Cortes met in various locations in the city, including the Oratorio de San Felipe Neri. This is a small neoclassical chapel with an elliptical floor plan. It is now primarily known for a painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. Next to this chapel is the . The museum was founded in 1909 at the initiative of the mayor in preparation for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Constitution. Two buildings next to the Oratory were acquired for this purpose, and the museum opened its doors on October 5, 1912.
The museum focuses on the history of Cádiz in the 18th century and the first quarter of the 19th century, the Cortes meetings, and the Constitution of 1812. You will find many paintings, both of the city's layout and famous people and events, as well as various artifacts. The central staircase leads you to the floor where you can see a spectacular object from the history of Cádiz: a scale model of the city, approximately 1:250 scale. This Maqueta de Cádiz was built between July 1777 and March 1779 by a large group of craftsmen under the direction of the military engineer Alfonso Jiménez. It was commissioned by King Charles III and depicts the 18th century city. You can walk around it or view it from an elevated platform. It is impressive! It covers 25 square metres, is made of mahogany, ebony, and marble, and is extremely detailed.
One of the recent elements in the city that harks back to the Constitution of 1812 is the La Constitución de 1812 Bridge, which was opened in 2015. The bridge connects Cádiz over the Bay of Cádiz to Puerto Real. The total bridge is 5km long over both water and land. It has two pylons that are 185m high. The bridge deck is 69m above the sea, allowing many ships to pass underneath, and a part of the bridge can still be raised. In 1969, the first bridge connecting the city to the mainland, José León de Carranza Bridge, was built. This bridge is located further south and is 1,400m long. The first plans for a bridge date back to 1928. The city's vulnerable accessibility due to storms and the inability to cross the isthmus had been a problem for the municipal government for many years. Both bridge projects took a long time to materialise, and by 1982, there was already a consensus that a second bridge was needed.
How is it that the city turns its back to the edges? This is not uncommon for a fortress city. The fortress is initially built to ensure the creation of a safe area within which the city can be constructed. In essence, the space within the fortress slowly fills up over the years. Building begins behind the city gate, then near the harbour and around a central square for trade. The names of the neighbourhoods tell you something about the city's history. originated where vineyards were once located. Due to urbanisation in the 18th century, it transformed into a fishing district with its proximity to the beach at la Caleta. The core of this neighbourhood is formed by Calle de La Palma, which leads to the parish church. It is now a street filled with cafes and restaurants and one of the main places where the gaditanos (the residents of Cádiz) celebrate Carnival.
In the 19th century, Cádiz was connected to the mainland by rail. The original building was opened in 1862 and is located close to the harbour, which was convenient for cargo handling. With the introduction of high-speed trains, a new station was built behind it (i.e., the tracks were shortened). Given the number of over 1 million passengers per year, this was probably necessary. Therefore, however, the old terminus station was somewhat 'beheaded'. When we were there, there were signs announcing that the old building would be filled with restaurants and shops, but to be honest, we did not observe any construction activities. Unfortunately, the connection with the harbour is completely lost today. The area is entirely fenced off. For instance, as a pedestrian, you can no longer access the fish market. This may be partly due to the many cruise ships that dock here, requiring a lot of handling space. Regardless, it is regrettable.
What makes Cádiz a city unique in our view is its structure. You can see it on the scale model and the maps in the Museo de las Cortes Cádiz. The city is densely built: the streets are narrow, the buildings are typically four stories high, and there are only a limited number of squares. Some streets are very long and extend from the city centre to the city's edge. In between, you
have the really narrow streets, often less than 5m wide. The whole city features mostly one-way streets. In such a densely built city, it is quite challenging for a unique facade to stand out. Such a facade can hardly be seen through the narrow streets. Only where there are small squares or a widening in the street, do
you see opportunities taken to create a beautiful facade. In this densely woven urban fabric, Calle Ancha, the main shopping street and pedestrian area, can be considered an exception. It's a wider street with large buildings and palaces featuring impressive facades.
There are a limited number of squares in the city. The most noteworthy ones are Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de San Juan de Dios near the city hall, and . The latter was created in 1838 on the grounds of the former Convento de San Francisco monastery. It is a green oasis in a stony city. There is more green on the city's edges, within the fortress. Paseo Canalejas near the harbour, with Plaza de España just to the north with the Monument of the Constitution of 1812, Jardines Clara Campoamor in the northeast, and Parque Genoves in the northwest.
There has been, and still is, little light and view in the city. In the 17th and 18th centuries, merchants came up with the idea of building towers on their houses. This allowed them to bring more light into the buildings. It also provided a high terrace from which one could look out at the ships. As a result, more than 160 towers were built. The most famous tower is , located at the corner of Marqués del Real Tesoro and Sacramento streets. This tower formed the highest point in the city (except for the towers of the cathedral) at 33m above street level and 45.35m above sea level. In 1789, this led to the tower becoming the official watchtower of Cádiz, used to register the arrival of ships. The tower is named after Antonio Tavira, a former Spanish navy officer, the first tower watchman. This tower has captured the imagination of many. For example, there is a drawing from the Tintin album 'The Seven Crystal Balls' (originally from 1949) where the watchman on the Torre Tavira peers at the ships. You can see the characteristic red line drawings on the white tower, which you can also see on other towers in the city.
Inside the tower, there is an exhibition on the city's development on the second and third floors. The roof is on the second floor, giving the standalone tower two floors. On the upper floor, there is a lens installed that projects the view of the city. This was installed in the tower in 1995 and is called a camera obscura. It is an ingenious type of periscope that allows you to observe the outside world in real-time.
However, as remarkable as that may be, for us nothing beats the view from the rooftop, the Mirador. You can look around 360 degrees from a point much higher than the rest of the city. The city lies at your feet, the straight line of Calle Sacrament cuts through the roofscape like a knife to the sea. When you turn around, you can see the bridges, the cathedral, the market, the other towers, and how the rooftop terraces of the city are used. This is when the city presents itself at its finest.
We haven't talked about the yet. When viewed from above, it appears majestic with two tall octagonal towers featuring convex and concave forms. From Plaza de Catedral, the symmetrical baroque facade looks wider than it is tall. This is emphasised by the lower section being made of sandstone and the upper section with the domes being constructed of light-coloured stone. As you walk around the building, you might wonder if all those parts (chapels) you pass by are part of the cathedral. The cathedral replaced the first church that was burned down during the previously mentioned plundering of the city by the Earl of Essex in 1596. The relocation of the House of Trade from Seville to Cádiz in 1717 was the catalyst for the city's significant economic development, prompting the chapter to start building a cathedral that matched the grandeur of the city.
In 1722, they began the construction of what would be called the new cathedral, Catedral de Santa Cruz de Cádiz. The design was by Vicente Acero, an architect who had worked on the Granada Cathedral. He withdrew, and in 1739, Gaspar Cayón took over, followed by his nephew Torcuato Cayón in 1757. After Torcuato Cayón, Miguel Olivares assumed leadership until 1790, when Manuel Machuca took over. Ultimately, from 1832 to 1838 (when construction was considered complete), the project was led by Juan Daura. During its 116 years of construction, building was frequently halted and resumed, and various architectural styles were employed. It began in the Baroque style but later became more and more Neoclassical, with elements of Rococo also present.
The cathedral faces north onto Plaza de la Catedral. The choir is situated at the city's edge by the sea, at Campo del Sur Concepción. The history of a long construction period overseen by various architects is clearly visible when you walk around the exterior. Windows have been moved whenever a chapel was added, and ultimately, they ran out of funds to finish the entire building in light marble. From the sea, you wouldn't expect this to be the cathedral of the city. The facades on this side bear many scars, from alterations and decay. To be honest, our expectations for the interior were not high. But we were mistaken. It was as if we had stepped into a watercolour by John Ruskin, a respected British art critic in the 19th century who also wrote and painted. He created many watercolours of churches and prominent buildings, and characteristically he manages to express the depth you experience inside such buildings through subtle shades of light. It's as if he captured this interior. The columns are so finely detailed that you don't realise how thick they are, creating depth on their own. With every step you take, the image changes, allowing you to look deeper, all in the same nuances. The interior exudes harmony, in total contrast to the exterior. It provides a grand harmonious backdrop for interior elements that are also very much worth seeing, such as the 17th century choir stalls, two organs, and a particularly unique iron grille.
We found ourselves inclined to 'judge the book by its cover' when it came to the cathedral. The contrast the inside of the cathedral forms with the outside is still a mystery. We are glad that our curiosity prevented us from passing judgment too quickly. This is what travel is all about: driven by curiosity, embarking on a journey of discovery, and continually exploring. Cádiz is indeed well worth it.
