Huelva is a mecca for those interested in Christopher Columbus
Accommodation
Huelva may lack the region's star attractions of
other provincial capitals, but once you get past the industrial
sprawl on its outskirts, the centre is a pleasant place with many
pretty plazas, absorbing historical monuments and, as you'd expect
from a city with a bustling port, a wealth of seafood bars and restaurants.
The mineral wealth of the area north of Huelva brought
Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans who, along with the later arrivals
of the Moors, left their archaeological mark on the city. Visit
the Museo de Huelva to see evidence
of their stay in Huelva. Exploitation of copper deposits much later
by British interests made Huelva into something of a boom town.
Many grand buildings were erected in the late 19th century and the
early 20th century, like the Casa Colón, the imposing Gran
Teatro and the Clínica Sanz de Frutos.
Located on the mouth of the Odiel and Tinto estuary,
Huelva has been an important port since the Phoenicians established
it as a major trading post. It reached its zenith in the 15th century,
however, with the discovery of America by Christopher
Columbus, who recruited local sailors for his voyage and, on
his departure and return, prayed to the city's patron saint at the
Sanctuario de Nuestra Señora
la Virgen de la Cinta. Today he is commemorated in the Monumento
a Colón.
Another pivotal point in the port's history was
the industrial development in the city in the late 19th century
due to mining activity to the north. Foreign mining companies built
impressive ironwork loading quays that extended into the estuary
that, although decaying, still exist today. The grand neo-Moorish
train station, the Estación de Sevilla, was also erected
around this time.
Badly damaged in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, Huelva
lacks the architectural splendour of Seville. It does possess, however,
several notable churches, like the oldest one in the city, the Iglesia
de San Pedro, and the Catedral
de la Merced, with a magnificent Baroque façade.
The hub of the city centre today is the palm-lined
square, the Plaza de las Monjas, close to the pedestrianized
shopping district, along the streets of Concepción to Berdigón.
The centre is relatively compact so you can see the sights without
having to hop on a bus, although you may want to for the Sanctuario
de la Cinta, located 3km out of town.
Get another perspective on Huelva from this article first published in Andalucia Magazine.
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Hotel in El Rompido, Cartaya - Huelva
An ecological hotel right on the banks of the Piedras river, 10 minutes away from a 12 km long unspoilt beach. |
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Hotel in Huelva
Hotel Monte Conquero: 3-star hotel set in an area with excellent communications, with direct access from the motorway and 10 minutes from the beach. Online Bookings. |
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