Port Royal

The town of Puerto Real is a Spanish municipality located in the province of Cádiz, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. The town is located on the northern coast of the inner sack of the Bay of Cádiz, probably near the ancient Roman settlement of Portus Gaditanus. The current name is due to its foundation by the Catholic Monarchs in 1483. Its historic center has been declared a Historic-Artistic Site and has the peculiar hippodamic layout, in the style of the new cities born in the Renaissance. Currently its population depends to a large extent on industry, especially naval and aeronautics, and the tertiary sector. It is the headquarters of several faculties of the University of Cádiz, a regional hospital and is connected by train, highway and highway.

In the year 2020 it had 41,700 inhabitants. The extension of its municipal area is 197 km² and it has a density of 202.33 inhab/km². Its geographic coordinates are 36º 31' N, 6º 11' O. The main nucleus is located at an altitude of 8 meters and 15 kilometers from the capital of the province, Cádiz.

Geography

Playa de la Cachucha, Puerto Real.

The relief of the municipality is practically flat and at sea level except in the extreme east, where hills that exceed 100 meters of altitude begin to be found. The marshes of Puerto Real and the bay of Cádiz complete the relief of the territory. The altitude oscillates between 159 meters (Cerro Burcio) to the east and sea level. The old town stands 10 meters above sea level.

The municipal term is made up of the main nucleus located in the southwest and ten population centers such as Barrio de Jarana, El Marquesado, Meadero de la Reina and the Río San Pedro neighborhood, the latter being the most inhabited.

Northwest: The Port of Santa Maria	North: El Puerto de Santa María y Jerez de la Frontera	Northeast: Jerez de la Frontera
West: Cadiz and Cadiz Bay		This: Jerez de la Frontera and Medina Sidonia
Southwest San Fernando and Bahía de Cádiz	South: Chiclana de la Frontera	Sureste: Medina Sidonia

Nature

Pinar de la Algaida in the natural park of the Bay of Cadiz and bridge over the river San Pedro.

Note the Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park, which is characterized by its marshes and natural area of the Isla del Trocadero. Within the term, the extensive but divided stone pine forests stand out, such as the park of Las Canteras, La Algaida or the Dehesa de las Yeguas. Among the hydrological elements, the San Pedro river, the marshes and the 800 ha stand out. of inland lagoons that are protected as the Complejo Endorreico de Puerto Real Natural Reserve, which includes the Comisario, San Antonio and Taraje lagoons. In addition, there is the Cachucha beach.

History

Prehistory and Antiquity

The oldest settlement evidence is that of El Retamar dating from the Neolithic.

The municipal area, belonging to the gaditanus conventus, abounds in Roman Hispania with archaeological sites that bear witness to the fact that it was an important center of pottery production. Kilns have been found in various areas of the city (El Gallinero, Puente Melchor, Olivar de los Valencianos, etc.) and even, in the Roman villa of Puente Melchor, a huge mosaic of Bacchus. The amphoras produced in the current territory of Puerto Real were used to transport wine and salted meats to other parts of the Roman Empire; in Rome, on Monte Testaccio, remains of amphoras produced in Puerto Real have been found. Some authors place the Roman mansio of Portus Gaditanus in the current term of Puerto Real, whose exact location is still the subject of debate today.

Some of the population centers of the municipal term may have their origin in medieval farmhouses of Al-Andalus, as in the case of the Barrio de Jarana, which originated in the Roman Sacrana with continuity in the medieval Xarrana of the Islamic period.

Foundation and Modern Age

The town of Puerto Real was founded by the Puebla Charter by the Catholic Monarchs on June 18, 1483, when they were in Córdoba during the Granada War. Their intention was to provide the Crown with a maritime port under control own in the Gulf of Cádiz in an environment in which all the ports were under noble control since the second half of the XIII century. The coastal strip of the Relaengo municipality of Jerez de la Frontera was chosen, and the settlement of 200 settlers was authorized. In 1488 the council was already constituted and, in accordance with the Puebla Charter, it was segregated, with the category of town, from Jerez de la Frontera. In addition to the anchorage and privileged conditions to favor the population over those of its powerful neighbors, in Puerto Real the cultivated lands were used and salt pans and mills were built in the pipes. On October 8, 1488, Puerto Real was again subordinated to Jerez as a mercy after the latter's participation in the conquests of Ronda (1485) and Málaga (1487). The town was never in favor of depending on Jerez and after After several years of conflicts, the Puerto Real city council obtained its independence from Carlos I in 1543. Not satisfied with this decision, Jerez continued to litigate until Felipe II linked the population to the monarchy in 1572.

The population was favored by trade with America, as evidenced by the Royal Carenero, to serve the Navy. From 1680, ships from the port of Veracruz (Viceroyalty of New Spain) were authorized to They could be dispatched both in Cádiz and Seville and in 1717 the Casa de Contratación moved to Cádiz.

From the 19th century to the present day

Urban evolution of Puerto Real.

In 1797 an English squadron attacked Cádiz, forcing the population to flee to Puerto Real. The overcrowding in which the population is forced to live causes them to suffer serious epidemics. the siege of Cadiz. During the Liberal Triennium there was an uprising to restore the absolute power of Fernando VII. To support it, the French army of the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis intervened in Spain against supporters of the constitutional character of the monarchy. The supporters of the Constitution kidnapped Fernando VII and took him to Cádiz; the French army crossed Spain quickly and the Duke of Angoulême installed his headquarters in Puerto Real. On August 31, 1823 was the Battle of Trocadero, with victory for the supporters of absolutism, beginning the Ominous Decade. There are still remains of that battle such as the Castillo de San Luis or the Caño de la Cortadura, which was a ditch prepared to prevent French artillery from accessing Cádiz.

View of the dams of the Matagorda factory for repairs of the merchant fleet of Antonio López and López in Trocadero next to the Castle of Matagorda.

The cattle fair that gave rise to the current Puerto Real fair dates back to 1843, held to promote trade in the town. In 1856 the Jerez de la Frontera-Muelle de Trocadero railway line was inaugurated to transport sherry wines to the Trocadero wharf and shipment to all of Europe, mainly to the United Kingdom. This was the first railway line in Andalusia, initially designed by José Díez Imbrechts and currently the route that ran through La Algaida is a greenway. In 1860 the Seville-Cádiz line came into operation, building a junction between both lines.

In 1863, the businessman Antonio López y López, at the helm of Compañía de Vapores Correos A. López, the concessionaire of the postal service between the peninsula and Cuba, Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo, rented some land in Trocadero to establish a small factory to attend to the repairs of its steam shipping fleet, origin of the Puerto Real Shipyard. The choice of the place responded to the easy access and proximity to the railway line, whose facilities he shared. At first, López y López signed a contract to be able to use the Large Dock of the Arsenal de la Carraca, the most modern in Spain at the time, or his own, a floating dock in Havana for the most important careenings and repairs. In 1872 the decree for the extension of the facilities was authorized. A spectacular work was built that was visited by Alfonso XII in 1877. It included a dam, an antechamber, docks, an esplanade, warehouses and other facilities, a working-class neighborhood or a railway line. In 1889, in addition to repairs, he began building his own ships, which had previously been bought abroad, mainly in the United Kingdom. The facilities are expanded with a harrow, workshops or foundry and with a staff of 1,200 workers. The disaster of 98 dealt a severe blow to the transoceanic and colonial trade of Trasatlantica.

In 1914, Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval acquired the Matagorda shipyard and signed an agreement for the construction and repair of the Transatlántica ships, but the activity suffered due to the contraction of trade due to the European crisis after World War I. The civil war caused a lot of damage in the town, such as the burning of the priory church by the republican side or the loss of many lives, there being a great repression by the rebel side who murdered dozens of militants of the Popular Front and anarchists. During the Civil War, a common grave was dug in the San Roque Cemetery, recovered in 2018 and named a Place of Democratic Memory.

Inauguration as a Place of Democratic Memory to the common pit of the Cemetery.

From 1957 to 1973, the Matagorda neighborhood existed, built for the shipyard workers, whose lands passed to industrial use. The electrical conduction infrastructures of the Cádiz pylons and the houses of the Barrio engineer date from this period of the Jarana During the industrial restructuring that began in the 1980s, there were cuts in the productive activity of the shipyards. Within the industrial reconversion, new multinational companies from different industrial sectors settled in Puerto Real. In 1982 General Motors, later Delphi, opened an automobile components factory that closed in 2007 moving production to Poland. In 1988 the Airbus plant was inaugurated, which closed in 2021.

Airbus Factor in Puerto Real (1988-2021)

In 2021 Puerto Real reached an unemployment rate of 30% which can be explained, as in the case of Linares and other industrial towns, by the early retirements of Navantia, Delphi and Airbus at the beginning of the century XXI.

Demographics

Graphic of demographic evolution of Puerto Real between 1798 and 2022

Population of the 1798 pattern data.Population of Law (1900-1991) or resident population (2001) according to population censuses of the INE. Population according to the INE Municipal Register.

Economy

Portico crane in the yards of Puerto Real belonging to Navantia.

Traditionally the town has depended on agriculture and the exploitation of the coastal estuaries as salt flats or as inshore fishing and shellfish production. Already in the XVIII century, the Cadastre of Ensenada shows a clear boom in the secondary and tertiary sectors, something unusual in an economy of the Old Regime. From the XIX century, Puerto Real began to develop an industry focused on naval activities. Diversification would come from the middle of the XX century, leading Puerto Real to work in the following sectors:

• The naval sectorcurrently in crisis for various reasons. Among these reasons are the fierce competition of the sector in Asian countries with a cheaper labor force and the absence of a global legislation, which forces to manufacture with double helmet those ships that transport dangerous goods; something that is only done in a few shipyards of the world, among them the Europeans. According to the environmental groups, the double hull is a safety measure that should carry all the merchant ships, to avoid in case of accident that the toxic shipment is poured into the sea uncontrolled.
• The sector of large buildingslike Dragados OffShore, who has built one of the largest gas platforms in the world.
• The auxiliary sector, which include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), service providers and labor that surround all of the above. In this group, many SMEs working for the naval industry have been forced to revert or close, due to the crisis in that sector.

Due to the poor results of the naval industry, Puerto Real has lost an important part of its local companies, which were almost entirely dedicated to the naval sector. This crisis in the naval sector also greatly affected all the populations of the Bay of Cádiz, which immediately changed their economic model towards the beach and sun tourism sector. Something that did not happen in Puerto Real because it does not have abundant beaches and also the seasonality of the beach and sun tourism sector raised many questions. For this reason, Puerto Real for the tourism sector intends to bet on a model of rural or inland tourism with golf courses, horseback riding, hiking, etc. as well as revaluation of craft activities related to the salt flats and their gastronomy

Industrial infrastructure

Puerto Real has three industrial estates in operation, the Trocadero estate where Airbus was located and where the Delphi factory was until its closure, contains local industries; the Cabezuelas industrial estate of a logistical nature by supporting the quay of the same name (Muelle de la Cabezuela), with companies such as the Puerto Real Shipyard, Navantia and Dragados Off Shore and the Tres Caminos industrial estate . The Las Aletas polygon is being planned, in which it is intended to expand the aeronautical industry, among others, although it depends on environmental authorizations that were expected not before 2017 and finally did not materialize, abandoning the project.

Evolution of outstanding municipal debt

The concept of outstanding debt includes only debts with savings banks and banks related to financial credits, fixed-income securities and loans or credits transferred to third parties, excluding, therefore, commercial debt.

Graphic of evolution of living debt of the City of Puerto Real between 2008 and 2021

Living City Council debt in thousands of euros according to data from the Ministry of Finance and Public Service.

Public services

Education

It has several early childhood education centers and the Manuel de Falla, La Jarcia, Professor Antonio Muro, Virgen del Carmen, La Salle Buen Consejo, Juan Pablo II-Santo Ángel and La Algaida (San Pedro neighborhood) higher education institutes). It has the Inspector Francisco Poveda Díaz adult education center.

Also, note the Puerto Real Campus of the University of Cádiz and the Centro Andaluz Superior de Estudios Marinos inaugurated in 1992.

Health

There are medical offices in Barrio de Jarana and Barrio de San Pedro and there is the University Hospital of Puerto Real. The 061 Coordination Center of the province of Cádiz is located in Puerto Real.

Security

There is a Civil Guard post and the National Police station in Puerto de Santa María-Puerto Real.

Justice

It has its own judicial district and has courts of first instance and instruction.

Communications

Map of communications from Puerto Real.

Road

• South highway (A-4) between pK 655 and 674.
• Autopista AP-4 (Sevilla-Cádiz), which has its continuation on the CA-35 road, the motorway to Cadiz by the José León de Carranza bridge.
• CA-32 (former N-IVa), which serves as a south access to El Puerto de Santa María.
• Road A-408, which allows communication with Paterna de Rivera and Medina Sidonia.

Railway

It has a long-distance service and a suburban line from Cádiz, with the Puerto Real Station and two stops: Las Aletas and Universidad that maintain daily suburban and regional train services.

Port

It has the dock of the Port of the Bay of Cádiz La Cabezuela-Puerto Real. It is for commercial use with special facilities for Dragados Off Shore and Navantia.

Airport

Jerez de la Frontera Airport is 24 minutes away.

Historical and monumental heritage

The church of San Sebastian with the church of San Jose at the bottom.

Arc alley in Puerto Real.

La Punta del Muelle in Puerto Real.

Assets of Cultural Interest

The following are assets of cultural interest:

• Church of San José, S. XVIII, neoclassical style. It was built at the end of the centuryXVIII by the Gremio de Carpinteros de marine de la ciudad. Today, it hosts the San José Cultural Center Church.
• Real Carenero of the CenturyXV and historical elements of the Dique de Matagorda as part of the industrial heritage of naval construction of Puerto Real.
• Archaeological sites of the Barco de la Cabezuela and the Arsenal La Carraca, which is deposited in the Naval Museum of San Fernando.
• El Fuerte San Luis, Fuerte de San Luis-Caño del Trocadero, Fuerte de San Luis-Puente de Carranza, Castillo de Matagorda, Batería de las Cantarillas as part of the fortification system of the Bay of Cadiz.
• Centro Histórico de Puerto Real.
• Zuazo Bridge.

Places of Interest in Puerto Real

From Roman times, I century AD. C. Roman oven of El Gallinero and, two kilometers from Puerto Real, Roman Alfar of the Hill of Ceuta of amphora production, century I span> a. c.

• Church of San Sebastian (SS. XV/XVI with added until the XIX). It's the oldest church in the town. He probably erected on top of a hermitage. Started in Gothic style, finished in Baroque style.

• Conventual Church of the Victory of the CenturyXVII Old Minimum Convent, converted into hospital after the march of order. Its interior treasures the imposing image of Ntra. Sra. de la Soledad, obra de la imaginarra baroque Andaluza Luisa Roldán The Roldana, being this the only painful image that is preserved from this beloved artist. The image was donated by the "Arcos-Roldán" marriage to the Convention of Minimum Friars in July 1688. In addition to the size of Ntra. Sra. de la Soledad, se conserva en esta Iglesia una Size de San Francisco de Paula, también obra de la Soledad The Roldana and a third image of a lying creature, attributed to this same imagery.

• The centuryXVIII point the Callejón del Arco, street typical of the city

• Box (or Ark) of the Water (S.XVIII) located in the Park of the Future. It is the terminal head of the aqueduct of the centuryXVIII, work by Ruiz Florindo under the reign of Carlos III and the Peititorre, ancient tower vigía on the Paseo Marítimo. In addition, the Media Luneta, which, together with the rest of the cantile, are the last remnants of the shore of the s quay. XVIII.
• Abastos market built by Torcuato Benjumeda is probably the oldest stock market that is preserved as such in Andalusia.

From the XIX century, note the Teatro Principal, which is the second oldest theater in Andalusia, after Las Cortes from San Fernando. In addition, the historic garden of Jardines El Porvenir by the mayor Don Antonio Capriles, as part of the improvement works of the city; he came to urbanize the area of La Laguna, avoiding the systematic flooding of that part of the city.

Festivities and traditions

Fair

Without detracting from the other celebrations, the Fair can be considered the most important festival in Puerto Real, thanks to the great local acceptance. It has been held uninterruptedly since 1843, the year it held its first edition under the name of Livestock Fair. This early celebration makes it the third oldest fair in Andalusia and one of the oldest fairs in Spain. As its origin, it counts as a fair for the exhibition and sale of cattle and, curiously, it was inaugurated with the election of the Queen of the Fair since 1947. The fair is articulated around the "Las Canteras" enclosure, this allows you to enjoy the sheltered by the pines of the nearby park, a veritable green lung of the bay.

Holy Week

Holy Week in Puerto Real runs from Palm Sunday, with the departure of the Donkey, to Easter Sunday, with the departure of the Risen One. Other relevant processional outings are the Vera Cruz, on Holy Wednesday; the Nazarene, Holy Thursday; and Soledad, on Good Friday. The population has a total of 10 different Brotherhoods and Brotherhoods.

The image of Our Lady of Solitude stands out, the only painfully faithfully documented work of Luisa Roldán "La Roldana", this being one of the masterpieces of Andalusian mud imagery, which dates from the year 1688.

Ntra. Sra. de la Soledad - Puerto Real.

Other festivities

• In February the Carnival is celebrated, parallel to the Carnival of Cadiz, although with less days (a weekend).
• On February 11, the celebration of the Patrona de la Villa: the Virgin of Lourdes.
• The celebration of the Cruces de Mayo in Puerto Real filled with colorful the month of flowers par excellence, and makes the courtyards and venues of entities adorned with the baroque of those crosses that, full of flowers, are accompanied by the first flamenco chords that serve as a prelude to our Fair.
• On the eve of St.John, the burning of the traditional "Juanillos" installed by different parts of the town.
• On July 16th, the Ntra procession stands out. Sra. del Carmen por las callees desde la Iglesia Mayor Prioral de San Sebastián.
• The Christmas holidays are celebrated in Puerto Real in a traditional way, with colorful decorations of the main streets and great animation in its streets. On January 5th the arrival of the Magi of the East takes place, who make their entrance to the Villa in a helicopter landing at the Puntilla del Muelle, for once on land His Majestys, to begin the Cabalgata by delivering candy and illusions among the boys and girls of Puerto Real.

Politics

Its city council has 21 seats for 21 councillors. Elena Amaya León (PSOE) was elected mayor of the town on June 15, 2019.

Municipal elections

Results 2019 municipal elections in Puerto Real

Candidatures with representation		2019
		%	Councillors
	Go ahead.	33,84	8
	Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE)	28,76	7
	Andalusia for Yes	16,67	4
	Citizens (Cs)	7.23	1
	EQUO	5,19	1

Mayors

The following is a list of the mayors of the town since the democratic elections of 1979: