Monument to Christopher Columbus, Huelva.
Huelva and its environs is a Mecca for those interested in Christopher Columbus, with a number of significant tourist attractions relating to the famous explorer. Cristóbal Colón (as he is known in Spain), is thought by most to have been born in Genoa, Italy around 1451. After years of seeking funding support for an expedition which was to find a sea route to Asia, Columbus finally came to an agreement with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. They would (along with a number of Italian financiers) back his expedition in return for dominion over the any new lands. Columbus would be awarded titles and, of course, a percentage of any fortune that was made. The rest, of course, is world history.
La Rábida, Palos de la Frontera and Moguer are three of the key sites in the Columbus story, which lie along the eastern bank of the Rio Tinto estuary and can be visited in a 40 km return trip from Huelva. At least 10 buses a day run from Huelva bus station to La Rabida and Palos de la Frontera, many of them continuing to Moguer. There are several accommodation options for staying here overnight.
La Rábida Monastery
Seven kilometres south of Huelva city where the Tinto and Odiel rivers meet is the 15th-century Franciscan Monasterio de Santa María de la Rábida. If you're interested in Christopher Columbus, this is one of three places to visit around Huelva. The other two are the nearby town of Palos de la Frontera, where Columbus found his crew, and the Convento de Santa Clara in Moguer, which Columbus frequently visited.
La Rábida is where Columbus stayed between 1491-92 waiting for financial backing from the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, for his voyage to the New World. The monastery was constructed in 1412 on the site of a Moorish stronghold; 'rábida' is a Arabic word meaning fortress. Its Moorish influences can still be seen in its Mudéjar architecture, including the fine cloister. The monastery has a 14th-century Gothic-Mudéjar church, where Captain Martín Alonso Pinzón, from Palos de la Frontera, who sailed with Columbus in one of his ships, is buried.
La Rábida was damaged by the Lisbon earthquake in 1755 and was left derelict in 1835 only to be restored a few decades later. It reopened in 1856 when it was declared a national monument. In 1920 Fransican monks returned to the convent and monks continue to live there today.
La Rabida at sunset.
The monastery, surrounded by magnificent botanical gardens full of exotic plants, is worth visiting for its museum detailing the discovery of the New World and Columbus's life. Also worth seeing are the murals in one of the monastery's rooms that depict Columbus's life, which were painted by the renowned local artist Daniel Vásquez Díaz in the 1930s. In the chapel is an alabaster statue of the Virgen de los Milagros (Virgin of Miracles), to which Columbus and his crew are said to have prayed. It is still venerated today, as the patron of neighbouring Palos de la Frontera. Every August the statue is taken to Palos for the town's religious festivities. In the Banderas room are flags from all the Latin American countries, along with a casket of earth from each.
Visits are by guided tours only by Fransican monks in Spanish, although there are audio guides available in other languages, including English, and some of the information plaques are in English as well as Spanish.
The Village of Moguer
Moguer played an important part in the first of Columbus' voyages. Located a few miles inland on the Río Tinto, it was an important centre of sea travel during 15th and 16th centuries. The importance of Moguer can be judged by the number of historical buildings that still exist. Among them is the Convento de Santa Clara which not only stands out as an outstanding work of architecture but was also the place where Columbus pledged his allegiance to the Spanish Crown before he left on his 1492 voyage. The building was severely damaged in the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 but later rebuilt. It was made a national monument in 1931.
Muelle de las Carabelas (Harbour of the Caravels)
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| El Muelle de las Carabelas. |
Nearby, on the Río Tinto estuary, the Muelle de las Carabelas (Harbour of the Caravels) is a waterfront exhibition with life-size replicas of Columbus's three ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa María, built for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 1992. The museum next to the boats has details of Columbus's life, regular video screenings and a café.
Close to the Muelle is the Monument Plus Ultra, which commemorates the first transatlantic flight between Spain and America. Opposite the habour is the Foro Iberamericano, a modern outdoor venue for summer plays and concerts.
In the park near the monastery is the Monumento a los Descubridores (Monument for the Discoverers), which was built in 1892 to commemorate the fourth centenary of the discovery of America. Also near the monastery is the Iberamericano University.
Palos de la Frontera
Palos de la Frontera is the small sleepy village on the River Tinto just 10km upstream form Huelva City and the sea. It is of great interest to tourists because this is where in 1492 Columbus Set sail westwards and discovered America.The visitor can walk around this village in the quiet and discover the history for himself.
In the main square there is a Statue to Pinzon the builder of the ships and also a plaque to the sailors most of whom were from the village. Here at St Jorge, Columbus and the crew prayed before setting sail and the water needed for their long voyage was drawn from the old well in Palos.
Visit the actual embarcation point of the voyage and see the old well from where the fresh water was taken aboard.
Sanctuario de Nuestra SeÑora de la Cinta
This whitewashed 15th-century chapel is famous for its associations with Christopher Columbus. Positioned on El Conquero hill, about 3 km north of the city centre, it commands a wonderful view of the Odiel wetlands. Like most sanctuaries and hermitages, it was originally built outside the town centre and used to be surrounded by fields and open countryside, which are now colonized by the apartment blocks of the Conquero residential district. It has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest. More >.
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