The (real) town of Sancti Petri is another historymainly because it has much more history than its neighboring enclaves that use the same name: Mythological nostalgia, fishing aroma and sensual ruins which are being conquered by mass tourism and fame, including summer festivals.
Sancti Petri, a mythical seafaring town
Legend has it that on the islet of Sancti Petri at the mouth of the channel of the same name, between the current Cadiz municipalities of San Fernando and Chiclana de la Frontera, lies the tomb of Herculesmythical founder of Cadiz, who came to carry out one of his twelve labours: the theft of the bulls of King Geryon of Tartessos, the civilisation that marked the peninsular history before the arrival of the Romans.
The historical origin of this temple seems to be linked to the presence of the same Phoenicians from Tyre who founded the city of Cadiz, consecrating the first sanctuary of Sancti Petri to the god of commerce Melkart, whose ownership passed to Hercules with the arrival of the Romans. Such was the importance of this enclave in antiquity that it is said that such famous figures as Hannibal the Carthaginian and the Roman Julius Caesar passed through here.
The castle of Sancti Petri
Over the centuries, the mythical aroma of the islet faded as other, more practical functions became associated with it. On the one hand, the defensive function that gave rise to the castle, probably erected on the ruins of the ancient pagan temples on the islet.
Already in the 13th century, the presence of a tower equipped with reinforced artillery after attacks by rival powers, especially the British, is noted: the islet of Sancti Petri becomes a Key point in the defense of the Bay of Cadiz since here is the entrance to the channel through which you can navigate towards the bay.
The Austrians and the Bourbons continued to take care of this islet as a defensive element, including walls, until 1823, when they experienced their most famous conflict with the Battle of Sancti Petri Castle which confirmed the triumph of the absolutism of Ferdinand VII over the liberals who governed Spain between 1820 and 1823: it was the beginning of the Ominous Decade.
Forgetting its defensive function during the 20th century and becoming a lighthouse, a few years ago a complex rehabilitation The aim of this project was to recover one of the most important historical sites in the province of Cadiz.
Currently, the Sancti Petri Castle is exploited by a company that is the sole concessionaire for the “Occupation of the Public Maritime Terrestrial Domain of the Island and Sancti Petri Castle”: the visit It costs 10 euros for the day package and 20 for the night package, it has a restaurant and a concert and events area and can be reserved for private activities.
The Almadraba of Sancti Petri
While the primitive temple of Hercules languished in the Middle Ages until it practically disappeared, another facet took center stage both on the islet and on the coast, giving rise to the future town of Sancti Petri: fishing activity.
Historians believe that already in Islamic times a tuna watchtower which would be established in Christian times, parallel to the manufacture of sea salt.
In addition to a dock area, warehouses and buildings dedicated to the processing of catches, the exploitation of the almadraba fishing grounds on the islet reinforced its defence, which would later be used to consolidate a military infrastructure that gave rise to the castle and its various dependencies.
At the same time, fishing facilities began to increase on the coast, and the first chancas In the 17th century, tanks were used to cure anchovies, mackerel and other fish for preservation.
But it was much later, in the mid-twentieth century, when the current town of Sancti Petri took its current form once the National Almadrabero Consortium He acquired the land and created a thriving industry inherited from the old Muslim almadraba that began ten centuries ago.
Dancing on the grave of Hercules
It doesn’t seem like attending a concert by Taburete, Luis Miguel or Lola Indigo It may have a lot of traditional aroma, but this is what the old town of Sancti Petri is becoming, which one day job Hercules.
And even the Greek demigod would feel a little sad when he saw the state in which the old fishing village was left since the 70s when the tuna activity was losing strength and the different marine facilities were abandoned to their fate, initiating a complex judicial process for the ownership of land between the private owners of houses and warehouses and the public authorities who expropriated the land in 1979.
Currently, the ownership of Sancti Petri belongs to the public company Ports of Andalusia which would have given the green light to a controversial extension of the town’s dock that could have a considerable environmental impact.
The unique millennial history of Sancti Petri together with its paradoxical evolution in recent decades and the fact that it has been Safe (at least for now) from the hotel invasion from the neighbouring urbanisations to the south, they have created an environment in which they share a Nautical Club with the Caño Chanarro Fishermen’s Association, famous beach bars and seafood restaurants and the aforementioned Concert Music Festival, which has put this town on the map of Spanish celebrities.
