The Port of Santa Maria

Statue dedicated to the sailors

Purullena Palace

Castle of San Marcos

El Puerto de Santa María is a Spanish city and municipality located in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia. It is the fifth most populous municipality in the province and the 15th in Andalusia. It is located to the south of the Iberian Peninsula, on the coast of the Bay of Cádiz on the banks and mouth of the Guadalete River.

The town belongs, together with Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, San Fernando, Chiclana de la Frontera, Puerto Real and Rota, to the Association of Municipalities of the Bay of Cádiz. In addition, it is part of the metropolitan area of the Bahía de Cádiz-Jerez, being the third metropolitan area in Andalusia, behind those of Seville and Malaga, and the twelfth in Spain. According to the INE, as of January 1, 2023, the population had 89,435 inhabitants. It has a surface area of 159 km² and a population density of 561.28 inhabitants/km². It is located at an altitude of 6 m and 22 km from the provincial capital, Cádiz. In its municipal area there is part of the Rota Naval Base.

According to legend, the city was founded by Menestheus, an Athenian king who participated in the Trojan War. When he finished the war and was returning home, his throne had been robbed and he had to emigrate. Sailing without any destination, he ended up right at the mouth of the Guadalete River and founded the city, Puerto de Menesteo. This historical fact took place in 1184 or 1183 a. C., since the Trojan War took place between the years 1194 and 1184 a. C., approximately 3200 years ago.

According to some archaeologists, the first Gadir, as the first urban agglomeration or business center, was built in what is now the castle of Doña Blanca, leaving what is now Cádiz as a sacred site and its later use as an urban center the s.VII-VI.

The city was moved to its current location in Roman imperial times, as the site of the Portus Gaditanus. Coinciding with the construction of the new channel at the mouth of the Guadalete, promoted by Patricio Gaditano Lucio Cornelio Balbo el Menor, around the year 19 a. C. Placing the Cardum or main street (long street) parallel to the new estuary and perpendicular to the Decumanum on the route of the Via Augusta that entered the city through the bridge built over the Canal de Balbo del Guadalete (near the Plaza de la Smithy).

El Puerto de Santa María is known as The City of a Hundred Palaces, although the passage of time and neglect have meant that many of these magnificent buildings have practically fallen into ruin. Product From the commercial activity with Spanish America or the Indies in the 17th and 18th centuries, authentic palaces were built in the town adapted to the needs of the great merchants who also received the name of Cargadores de Indias. Its patron saint is San Sebastián and San Francisco Javier, as patron is Our Lady of Miracles.

It is the only municipality in Spain and Europe in which there are three prisons.

Toponymy

Legend attributes the founding of the city to an Athenian warlord, Menestheus, who after the Trojan War founded a city that would bear his name, Port of Menestheus. In the year 711 the Muslims faced the Visigothic army in the battle of Guadalete, which meant the entry of the Arabs into the peninsula. From that moment on, the city became part of Muslim territory under the new name of Amaría Alcanter, Alcanate or Alcanátir (القناطر), which some researchers translate as Puerto de las Salinas. In 1260, Alfonso X conquered the city from the Muslims and changed its Arabic name to Santa María del Puerto. Later the name of the city was changed to the one we know it today, that is, El Puerto de Santa María.

Symbols

The shield of the city has the following heraldic description: in azure, on waves of azure and silver, a castle of gold, clarified gules, added to the image of the Virgin Mary dressed in silver, and resplendent with rays of the same metal. Closed royal crown. It represents the castle of San Marcos, and the apparition of the Virgin to Alfonso X the Wise, of which old stories speak. The crown, for being a former royal town.

The flag is composed of two colors, they are green and yellow. Each color is located in two horizontal lines, at the top is green and at the bottom is yellow. In the central part of the flag is the coat of arms of the city.

Geography

El Puerto de Santa María is located on the Cadiz coast, in the interior of the Bahía de Cádiz region, 20 kilometers from the provincial capital.

The countryside of El Puerto de Santa María forms part of the Guadalquivir-Guadalete interfluve, distinguishing two different areas in the territory. The northern half presents characteristic landscapes of the Jerez countryside, predominantly flat except for the undulations of the San Cristóbal mountain range (111 metres), on the border with Jerez de la Frontera. Semi-hidden in this area, we must highlight the lagoons that are part of the Complejo Endorreico de El Puerto de Santa María Natural Reserve. The central strip of the territory, between the San Cristóbal mountain range and the Guadalete river, is much more urbanized and has, as an outstanding elevation, the Cerro de las Cabezas (74 meters), in addition to the San Jose marshes. To the south of the municipal area lies the urban nucleus, the Bay of Cádiz and the Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park, near the mouth of the Guadalete River. The beaches are more than 15 kilometers long, all of fine sand. The urban center rises 11 meters above sea level.

Northwest: Sanlúcar de Barrameda	North: Jerez de la Frontera	Northeast: Jerez de la Frontera
West: Rota and Atlantic Ocean		This: Jerez de la Frontera and Puerto Real
Southwest Atlantic Ocean	South: Bay of Cadiz and Puerto Real	Sureste: Puerto Real

Climate

The city's climate is essentially subtropical-Mediterranean, with very mild winters and warm but not too hot summers as a result of ocean winds. With an annual average of 18 °C. The east and west winds stand out. Rainfall is not abundant (400-500 mm per year). It is remarkable the high insolation that exceeds 3000 hours of sunshine per year (more than 125 days) and that justifies the denomination of Costa de la Luz.

Wildlife

Among the fauna we can find specimens of: common chameleon, cairn mullet, panarria, gecko, herring gull, cormorant, gray heron, coot, little plover, kestrel, blackbird, sandpiper, avocet, stilt, tern, Kentish plover, mallard frieze, redshank, canastera, hedgehog, owl, hoopoe, bottlenose dolphin.

Flora

As for flora, there are many: stone pine, Aleppo, juniper, broom, mastic, wild olive, sea heather.

The main Protected Natural Areas in the municipal area, included in the Network of Protected Natural Areas of Andalusia (RENPA), are: the Bahía de Cádiz natural park, the endorheic complex of El Puerto de Santa María (Nature Reserve), and the Pine Forests and Dunes of San Antón (peri-urban park).

Beaches

Playa de El Buzo with the city of Cádiz

El Puerto de Santa María has several kilometers of beaches. They are golden and fine sand, with crystal clear water. Next to these beaches there are promenades, bars and restaurants.

• La beach of La Puntilla it is located in the mouth of the Guadalete river and separated from it by a sprain, where you can enjoy a serene water for the bathroom, although something succulent

• La beach of El Aculadero, also called "La colorá", is between the previous and Puerto Sherry. It's the smallest of the city's beaches.

• La beach of Vistahermosa It has an excellent climate for the practice of windsurfing and kitesurfing, direct views of the city of Cadiz, and waves from open sea. It is colder than the rest of the beaches of the Bay of Cadiz.

• La Levante beach is an isolated beach of urban centers, in the natural park of the Bay of Cadiz, in excellent environmental condition. In it blows the wind and you can practice sailing and windsurfing.

• La beach of Fuentebravía is located in a residential area of which it takes its name and which has a high degree of occupation. Underwatering, fishing and windsurfing can be practiced.

• La beach of Valdelagrana, well known and visited by the tourism that frequents this area of Cadiz, since it has all kinds of equipment, services and infrastructures for the use of the public.

• La beach of La Muralla and La Calitaseparated by the ruins of the Castle of Santa Catalina, of a wild, clean and well-kept look, which have rocky slopes in the water, so it is ideal for fishing with arpoon and submarinism.

• La Admiral beach is a forbidden access beach within the Naval Base.

Demographics

Graphic of demographic evolution of El Puerto de Santa María between 1900 and 2018

Source: Spanish National Statistical Institute - Graphical development by Wikipedia.

The city currently has 88,335 inhabitants. The people of the municipality have the adjective of portuenses. The popular denomination to name the folkloric type, native of El Puerto de Santa María, is coquinero/a. The old adjective 'porteños' has been recognized by the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, at least among the dictionaries published between 1884 and 1989. Between that date and 1992, neither portuenses nor porteños. Since 1992, portuenses. Any of the three meanings (coquinero, portuense or porteño) to refer to those born or residing in El Puerto de Santa María, is valid.

History

Prehistory

The first vestiges of settlement in El Puerto de Santa María date from the Lower Paleolithic; The site of "El Aculadero" testifies to this. In "Las Arenas" there is another Mesolithic site and, next to the medieval tower of Doña Blanca, a Phoenician settlement is currently being excavated whose chronology dates from the end of the 9th century and the beginning of the 8th century BC. C. until the end of the 2nd century B.C. C. Remains of walls, necropolis and houses have been found and it was considered one of the key points on trade routes.

Legend attributes the founding of the city to an Athenian warlord —Menestheus— who, after the Trojan War, founded a city that would bear his name, the Port of Menestheus.

Old Age

The Roman civilization also inhabited these lands, remains of this culture were found when carrying out the remodeling of the Plaza de Isaac Peral, located in the center of the city. Skeletons and some objects such as rings, vessels, etc. were found in it.

It was the point where the Via Augusta met in Ad Portus, where the road continued in the direction of Asta Regia.

Middle Ages

Andalusi period

In the year 711 the Muslims faced the Visigothic army in the battle of Guadalete, which marked the entry of the Arabs into the peninsula. From that moment on, the city became part of Muslim territory under the new name of Amaría Alcanter, Alcanate or Alcanatif, which some researchers translate as Puerto de las Salinas, Arco or Puente. At that time it was only a farmhouse dependent on neighboring Šeriš, the current Jerez de la Frontera.

Castilian conquest

Song of Santa Maria 328

"To Alfonso X El Sabio (1221 - 1284) who made of El Puerto de Santa María concejoined independent by granting the foundational letter-population in the year 1281 and dedicated to the image that is preserved in the interior of this sanctuary fortress 24 of his cantigas known as El cancionero de Santa María de Porto"

In 1260, Alfonso X the Wise conquered the city from the Muslims and changed its Arabic name from Alcanatif to Santa María del Puerto. This name was the original name of Santoña (Cantabria) and many of the families that repopulated this city came from there, which is why they adopted this new name. This fact is the argument of the text of the Cantiga de Santa María no. 328, which is part of the Cancionero de Santa María del Puerto. Said monarch organized the distribution of the lands and granted the Puebla Charter, since then becoming part of the Crown of Castile, as a territory of the Kingdom of Seville. In 1279 Alfonso X granted the Order of Santa María of Spain the lordship of El Puerto de Santa María, although the order disappeared in 1280. In 1281 King Alfonso himself granted the Puebla Charter with the name of Gran Puerto de Santa María . Sancho IV sold it in 1284 to Benedetto Zaccaría, from whom Guzmán the Good bought half in 1295 or 1299, depending on the source. In 1306 this half was contributed as a dowry by Leonor de Guzmán, granddaughter of Guzmán el Bueno , at her marriage to Luis de la Cerda. In 1357 the entire municipality was unified under the same manor and in 1369 Bernardo de Foix, husband of Isabel de la Cerda, received the county of Medinaceli, the origin of the noble house of the same name. In 1479 his descendants received the title of Counts of El Puerto de Santa María.

Modern Age

Christopher Columbus, between 1483 and 1486 (although some researchers point to the period 1490-91), was a guest of the lords of El Puerto and received a contribution to undertake the journey that would lead him to discover the New World. Columbus was also in El Puerto in 1493, preparing for his second voyage. The Santa María, owned by the sailor Juan de la Cosa, who was Columbus's pilot in 1492, and who in 1500, in El Puerto de Santa María, dates the first map that includes America, was outfitted here.

When we talk about the Discovery of America, we are talking about an event that encompasses a multitude of aspects. On the one hand, the scientific fact in which the theory of the Earth as a sphere is verified; on the other hand, the change that has taken place since then in the world economic and political order. And finally, the meeting of worlds, new to each other, that until then had not had contact, or at least in a very evident way. These three aspects become more palpable in the cities that were directly involved in this event, as is the case of El Puerto de Santa María.

At the beginning of the XVI century, the streets of the city became a crowd of merchants coming from the New World, being the Port of Santa María one of the first places where you can see and buy products from the other part of the ocean. Its infrastructure in shipyards, trade institutions and training of sailors and navigators, placed it ahead of most port cities.

16th and 17th centuries

Map made in El Puerto by Juan de la Cosa in 1500. It is the first map that unquestionably shows the American continent

In the middle of the XVII century, after the Conspiracy of the Duke of Medina Sidonia, the Port replaced Sanlúcar de Barrameda as headquarters of the Captaincy General of the Ocean Sea, for which the political and war events of the Atlantic become noticeable in a very direct way in the evolution of the city.

Its mercantilist condition shaped it as a residence for merchants (Cargadores a Indias), who, when building their luxurious homes, formed a monumental complex marked out by Houses-Palaces with a mezzanine structure adapted to their administration and various civil and religious, which we can still enjoy for the most part.

And last but not least, the evolution of this city, accustomed to receiving travelers from all corners of the world, and the variety of origins of its inhabitants, made it a place where all those who they come closer they find a bit of their own history.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, El Puerto was a greenhouse and base for the Royal Galleys and headquarters of the General Captaincy of the Ocean Sea, as we have already mentioned. This fact would determine its role in the preparation of important naval expeditions of a military nature. It is interesting to visit the Plaza de las Galeras Reales, the nerve center of the life of the City in the past and tourism today.

Land of King Ferdinand VII in El Puerto de Santa Maria, October 1, 1823

18th century

Proclaimed King Felipe V, the city requested its incorporation into the Crown, which happened on May 31, 1729, when the Court moved to spend the summer here that year and the following. The summer character became fashionable in the city when, in 1729 and 1730, Felipe V, the first of the Bourbons, chose it as his official summer residence.

Contemporary Age

The Age of Enlightenment, with significant commercial activity and a large number of enlightened magnates settled in the city, would give way in the early years of the century XIX to a city converted into the headquarters of the French army during the War of Independence, under the reign of Joseph Bonaparte (1810 – 1812).

During the reign of Ferdinand VII (1814–1833), in the period of the liberal triennium (1820-1823), El Puerto is once again occupied and taken as headquarters by troops of the Holy Alliance, a French army known as the Hundred Thousand Sons of San Luis, under the command of the Duke of Angoulême, in order to put an end to the liberal resistance taking refuge in Cádiz and free King Ferdinand VII. Once the king was released, he disembarked in El Puerto and repealed the Constitution of 1812, thus imposing the absolute power of the crown.

From this moment on, the vicissitudes of history, the successive religious and civil confiscations, the socio-political changes of each moment, as well as the development of the winery industry, cause the expansion of the local economy and urban space, marking the life and people of this city. 20th century

After a strong period of recession with the loss of the last overseas colonies of the Spanish empire, in the XX century New ways for economic expansion were chosen and for this the wine trade was exploited with prestigious wineries installed in the city, in addition the infrastructures were improved to promote tourism, which has been the city's main source of income to this day.

The Port of Santa Maria in 1928

Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera

The last elections before 1923 resulted in a council made up of people from the wealthier classes of the city.

A clear example of the imbalance in local politics is the formation of the Somatén, a paramilitary force, which mainly had local support of a symbolic and propaganda nature. Also noteworthy is the operation of the Patriotic Union, founded with the intention of moderating the total dominance of the oligarchy in the wine industry. It was very modestly successful.

Second Republic

At this time, the El Puerto Prison gained fame during the years of the Second Republic and later with the Franco military dictatorship for housing political prisoners of national importance within its walls.

Heritage

Bullring of El Puerto

Historical monuments

In the architecture of El Puerto de Santa María, the civilizations that have inhabited the city have left a record, with a very attractive monumental complex, both in religious and civil buildings, with influences from both Romans and Arabs, etc. Various styles such as Gothic, Mudejar, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, etc. can be observed in the historical-artistic heritage of the city.

Main Priory Church

Priority Major Church

It stands in the upper part of the city, and its factory has been documented since the year 1486, coinciding with the construction peak stage promoted by the Dukes of Medinaceli, jurisdictional lords of the then town and promoters of this work. Like most of the large buildings in this area and the Seville Cathedral itself, the church is built with sandstone from the Sierra de San Cristóbal. The first Master Builder of this church of whom there is news is Alonso Rodríguez, who at that time worked in the Seville cathedral and in some other churches of that diocese, as well as in the Monastery of La Victoria in this town, financed by the ducal, of 1504. In the year 1493 the temple was already open for worship, although it would still take years to complete. The façade of the feet or Del Perdón, in late Gothic style, is preserved from this first stage; perhaps unfinished by A. Rodríguez, or perhaps ruined, like other parts of the temple, as a result of the 1636 earthquake.

The reconstructed temple was inaugurated, although not definitively finished, in the year 1671. Inside the church, where there are many interesting works of art, we can highlight the magnificent Mexican silver altarpiece made in 1682 by the silversmith José Medina in San Luis de Potosí (Mexico), located in the Capilla del Sagrario; the Baroque altarpiece from the XVI century of the Chapel of the Virgin of Miracles, from the school of Pedro Duque Cornejo; the choir stalls, attributed to Juan Bautista Vázquez the Younger, and the monumental neoclassical canopy built in the center of the presbytery at the end of the century XVIII by the renowned local architect Torcuato Benjumeda.

Castle of San Marcos

Castle of San Marcos

The Castillo de San Marcos in El Puerto de Santa María is built from an old Islamic mosque that was transformed into a fortified church in the time of Alfonso X El Sabio around the year 1264, who reinforced its foundations using the remains of a a nearby Roman building, endowing it with vaulted roofs and fortifying the sanctuary with four towers, two with a hexagonal floor plan and the other two with a quadrangular floor plan, the ground floor of the former being used as the main chapel for the Virgen de los Milagros. The qibla wall where the mihrab was located and the Almohad aspect of the construction are still preserved, which is evident in the horizontal and smooth lines with a projection on the upper part that externally finishes off the hexagonal tower and in its skiffed vaults. In this church, King Alfonso X installed his new military Order of Santa María de España, which soon disappeared when it was merged with the Order of Santiago.

When the city joined the Crown of Castile in 1729, the House of Medinaceli retained ownership of the castle, which was closed in 1868 and abandoned until its restoration, in the 1940s XX. The circumstances of the construction of this church-fortress were reflected in the Cantigas de Alfonso X, and much later, in 1823, its state is meticulously described in the work by Fernán Caballero "Un servilón y un liberalito", novel that is set in this old castle-sanctuary.

Religious monuments

Monastery of Victory

Palaces

Palacio Alvarez-Cuevas

Palace of Araníbar

Other monuments

Hospital San Juan de Dios

Source of Wales

Parks and gardens

Old lonja

Squares and avenues

Fields

Economy

The El Puerto Vaporcito going through the Guadalete. (See panoramic). He has also been given a popular song (See score, also in PDF)

Its main economic activity has traditionally been fishing and the industries related to said activity, such as canneries, fish nets, salt pans, etc.; Although currently the tertiary sector is notable and, within it, international and national tourism or vacationers, which is mainly beach throughout the summer. The hotel industry stands out as a dynamic sector of this city of Cádiz. It has a significant commercial development in the center and important in its periphery, housing some of the largest shopping and leisure centers in the Bay of Cádiz.

The wine industry, based on the production of high quality Fino Wine and high international prestige of the denomination of origin "Jerez- Xeres-Sherry". The main wineries in the city are: Osborne, Terry, Caballero, 501, Gutiérrez Colosía, Grant and Obregón. The El Puerto Urban Wine and Brandy Route has been created as a resource for wine tourism.

In the city is the center "El Toruño", belonging to the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), as well as CLH oil facilities, from which the pipeline to Zaragoza begins.

It currently has 5 shopping centers: El Paseo, Vistahermosa, El Ancla, Las Redes and BahíaMar.

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 El Puerto de Santa María between 2008 and 2021

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

Services

Education

Patio del IES Santo Domingo

Colegio Público José Luis Poullet

Drinking water

APEMSA

The city's drinking water supply is provided by Apemsa, a city council company created in 1983. Its service is based on the supply of drinking water, thus its service is distributed in sewerage, and wastewater treatment.

Waste and cleaning of public roads

FCC is the concessionary company that is in charge of the city's cleaning services. Its activities include the collection of waste, the care of the beaches or the surveillance of the green spaces of the city.

Supply

Serecop is a commercial company dedicated to the administration of the city.

Wildlife protection

The development and care of the city's fauna is carried out by Imucona, an organization that is in charge of protecting animals such as chameleons, storks, etc. Its headquarters are located next to the city's railway station.

Transportation

Bike lanes

Although it has received little encouragement from the City Council, there are several areas with bike lanes:

• On the Avenues of Europe and Valdelagrana, coinciding with the old N-IV
• On Avenida de Fuentebravía

Bus

• 0: Night service (Bus Búho): Rotonda de la Puntilla  Valdelagrana - Estación  Urbaluz - Los Milagros  Costa Oeste - Fuentebravia.
• 1: Circumvalation: Pinar Hondo - Centro - El Tejar - Juncal - El Paseo  Luis Caballero - Las Nieves - Hospital 
• 2: Circumvalation: Pinar Hondo - La Palma - Pinar Alto - Hospital - Las Nieves - El Juncal  Centre - Guadebro 
• 3: Valdelagrana- Centro -Fuentebravia (west bed)
• 4: Crevillet-El Tejar - Urbaluz
• 5: Doña Blanca-Hijuelas
• 6: Bullring-Fuentebravia
• 7: Plaza de España-Las Nieves

Metropolitan buses

Metropolitan transport

The Port of Santa María belongs to the area of the transport consortium of the metropolitan area of the Bay of Cádiz

• Area H

• Locations of the Bay of Cadiz.
• Locations of the Northwest Coast.
• Jerez and Arcos.

• Area I

• Rota.
• Cadiz.
• Puerto Real.

• Area J

• Jerez.
• Locations of the Northwest Coast.

Long-run buses

• Provincial destinations: Sierra de Cádiz, Algeciras, Barbate, Tarifa.
• Andalusian destinations: Seville, Ronda, Granada, Utrera, Marchena, Arahal, Córdoba, Andújar.
• Spanish destinations: Madrid, Almuradiel, Manzanares, Aranda de Duero, Vitoria, Éibar, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Irún.

Roads

Railway

Estación de El Puerto Santa María:

• LAV Madrid-Cádiz
• Parada de: Cercanías, Media Distance, Andalucía Exprés, Altaria, Largo

Valdelagrana Station:

• Stop: Near

Airplane

Jerez Airport

The closest airports to Puerto de Santa María are the following: Jerez Airport (26 km), Seville Airport (119 km), Gibraltar Airport (134 km) and Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (228 km).

Scheduled lines from companies such as Iberia, Vueling, Ryanair, Finnair, Cóndor, Hapag Fly, Thomson Fly, TUI Fly and Thomas Cook operate at Jerez airport.

In addition, in Rota (Cádiz), a municipality bordering El Puerto de Santa María, is the military airport of the Rota Naval Base.

Ship

• Maritime station, Line 042 The Port-Cadiz the consortium of transports of the metropolitan area of the Bay of Cadiz has 15 frequencies daily in each sense.
• San Ignacio Vapor Spring
• Commercial port
• Dársena de El Puerto de Santa María, belonging to the Harbour Authority of the Bay of Cadiz

Culture

Municipal Museum

Hemeroteca

City Museum

It is the city's museum, in the building itself is the Academy of Fine Arts Santa Cecilia. The museum is located in a palace house in the city, inside it has a central courtyard with columns. In it we will find prehistoric material such as the remains of animals such as a Mastodon, and objects such as vessels, spearheads or sharp stones. Historical materials include two skeletons of a Roman couple, coins, rings, etc. In it we also find a collection of tiles, plates, paintings by artists from the city and a model of the San Alejandro bridge through which one accessed the other side of the Guadalete river.

Alfonso X El Sabio Municipal Cultural Center

This center was inaugurated in 1993, the Alfonso X El Sabio Municipal Cultural Center is located in the center of the city, in this building exhibitions are organized. It is made up of four floors in which the library is located. This center bears the name of King Alfonso X, the person who gave the city its name.

In this center you will find:

• Exhibition Room
• Municipal Library

File

The city has an Archive

Foundations

Popular festivals

Carroza de Baltasar during the Cabalgata de Reyes Magos of 2006

Carnival Carnival 2007

The year begins with the typical Cabalgata de Reyes, on January 5th. In spring the festival of San Antón takes place, which is celebrated in the pine forests of the city. The people from Porto come there with their pets to receive the traditional blessing from the parish priest.

In February, the city joins the Carnival, following the Cadiz tradition, the people of Porto dress up. On the last day of the week there is a parade of floats. Carnival groups (comparsas, chirigotas, etc.) are also traditional. El Puerto has always stood out for its troupes, many of them regular participants in the Teatro Falla competition in Cádiz. Although in 2009 the Official Contest of Groups in El Puerto has been recovered, which had not been held in this city for 15 years. The stage has been the Pedro Muñoz Seca Municipal Theater.

During March or April, according to the liturgical calendar, Holy Week takes place. Its streets are filled with devotees of the numerous brotherhoods and brotherhoods of the city. Among them are the Brotherhood of the Sacred Prayer of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Garden and María Santísima de Gracia y Esperanza (Holy Wednesday), the Brotherhood and Brotherhood of Nazarenes of the Most Holy Christ of the Flagellation, María Santísima de la Amargura, San Joaquín and Santa Ana (Palm Sunday) and Brotherhood of Pain and Sacrifice (Holy Tuesday). The Spring Fair and Fine Wine Festival, a traditional fair in the style of many other Andalusian cities, is usually held between the fifth and sixth weeks after Holy Week, in recent years coinciding with the week of May 1 and always after the Seville Fair, the first of the Andalusian fairs.

The Fiesta de los Patios takes place between Easter and the Fair, in which the participating patios are exhibited for 5 or 6 days, on the weekend the patios are visited by rociero choirs. As of 2010, the festival becomes a cultural event and not a simple contest, in this way they want to give another air to the city during these days. In 2013, the XV Edition of Las Fiestas de Los Patios was celebrated.

On July 16, as in other maritime cities, the Feast of the Virgen del Carmen is celebrated, with a walk through the streets of the image and its subsequent journey by boat on the Guadalete river. On September 8, the Virgen de los Milagros, patron saint of the city, processes through the main streets of the center. That day is declared as a local holiday

Other events

At the start of the Moto GP championship at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit, the typical Motorada takes place, which attracts people from all over the world. Bikers or "bikers" They are concentrated in the area from 3 or 4 days before the celebration of the grand prize.

Mariana in the heart and in the name, the Cádiz city of El Puerto de Santa María, makes its annual journey to the village of El Rocío.

La Cruz de Mayo is a Catholic festivity that is celebrated at the beginning of the month of May.

In mid-June, with the Medieval Market, falconry exhibitions and craft markets take place, among other activities.

Sports

Estadio José del Cuvillo

The José del Cuvillo Stadium is the stadium of Racing Club Portuense exclusively as the city's first team. It was inaugurated in the 1970s, in a friendly match against Real Madrid CF. The stadium has a capacity for 8,600 spectators, in stands in all the stands except for the main one, which is covered and has red and white seats.

Port Sherry

Puerto Sherry Nautical Port

Puerto Sherry is located in the municipality of El Puerto de Santa María. In its surroundings is the Pueblo Marinero, which adjoins La Muralla beach, an old construction from the XVII century for the defense from the bay of Cádiz. In addition to berthing services, sailing courses and others related to sailing are offered. On one side of the dock are the facilities of the Andalusian Sailing Federation.

Real Club Náutico de El Puerto de Santa María

In the Real Club Náutico of El Puerto de Santa María, located in the middle of the Guadalete river, next to La Puntilla beach, it is a club created at the beginning of the century XX, where you can do various activities such as sailing, canoeing, tennis, paddle tennis and swimming.

Other facilities

• The city has a Sports City where you can practice several types of sports, where the rugby stands out, in whose field the Rugby Atlético Portuense Club matches.

• There is a sports club: Club de Golf Vistahermosa in which partners and their guests can play golf, paddle (Spanish championships are played), Croquet (Spanish championships are also played), Tenis, Vela, Swimming and card games like El Mus, Bridge or Canasta.

• In the city there are two bike lane routes, one of them arrives to the Toruños Park leaving from the city center.

• You can also practice Golf in Golf El Puerto, an 18-hole golf course with a very good practice area. In addition, federated players have the option to play in the 9-hole course of the Vistahermosa Golf Club.

• In July 2014, the team of American Football El Puerto Seagulls, founded by Alvaro Moreno Cuquerella, "Cuque", headquartered in the Sports City.

Bullfighting

Bullring

Palcos de la plaza de Toros

The city of El Puerto has always had a great bullfighting ancestry; As early as the 18th century bullfights were held in the Plaza de las Galeras, set up for this purpose, and in 1768 ten bullfights took place for the benefit of the Hospital de Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, in a wooden arena installed in the ejido of San Francisco, which remained until 1802 and was the scene of the death of the bullfighter José Cándido, on the 23rd of June 1771. In 1802 another square was built, in the same place, which caught fire on September 13, 1813, being rebuilt and lasting until 1842, to be rebuilt and reformed on several occasions until 1876. The current one is inaugurated on 5 June 1880, with a bullfighting celebration with the participation of the bullfighters Gordito and Lagartijo, with bulls from the Atanasio Fernández ranch.

In the corridor of the main door, there is a mosaic with the following inscription of a phrase attributed to Joselito "El Gallo" who commented when discussing the best bullring in a gathering: «Whoever has not seen bulls in El Puerto, does not know what a day of bullfights is».^{[citation required]}

The bull as a symbol

The black silhouette of the Osborne Bull is the most popular Spanish brand, inside and outside our borders. Its design has transcended the merely advertising. Having now become a deeply rooted symbol and loved by everyone who contemplates its defiant figure, spread all over the Spanish map, an icon that is inevitably identified with the Spanish landscape and was chosen by The New York Times Magazine., in 1972, as the representation of the new Spain.

Leisure

• Aqualand: In the Sierra de San Cristobal you will find the Aqualand aquatic park. It has numerous attractions that make the delights of children. It is open to the public on June, July, August and September and its main attractions are the wave pool, the black hole, speed race (soft tracks), the kamikazes and the Bravo River among others.

• Summer Film SAFA-San Luis: In the summer season there is a calendar in which certain days films are projected in the central courtyard of the center.

Theater

• Festival de Teatro de Comedias: in the month of August the festival takes place that is very linked to the figure of Muñoz Seca, and throughout the summer the Exhibition of Teters "Los Cristobitas".

Parishes

Gastronomy

The local gastronomy takes the products of the land from its orchards and vineyards, and from the sea with its fish and shellfish. It is rich and varied, because although most of the dishes can be based on fish and shellfish, since it is a seafaring population, of which it offers a wide range of sea products with a wide variety of fish such as sourdough, mojarras, urtas, sea bass, gilthead bream, mackerel, sole caught on the coast, make up dishes such as fried ones such as "pescaíto frito", squirts; stews such as Raya al fried bread or fish-based soups such as mackerel with noodles.

This town is home to one of the most famous cookers in Spain, "El Romerijo".

Shrimp cake

• Piriñaca: It is a picadillo (associated) based on tomatoes, peppers, onion, oil and vinegar of the area. Melva or mackerel can be added.
• Dog sandwich: It is a broth based on fish, garlic and onion, to which the orange juice was sprinkled.
• Ortiguillas: It is a dish consisting of a type of floured anemones and fries.
• Ray to fried bread
• Horse or Language with noodles
• Smooth to salt
• Fried waves
• Panizas fries: These are chickpea flour and fries (such as churros)
• Wines of the region
• Shrimp turtles
• Hot garlic

The wine and its wineries

Osborne Bodega

Wine is a tradition in the city, most of the wineries in the city were born from the industrial extension of the XIX Century , these wineries have gone over time, bringing out the best wine from within. The city is known in Spain, Europe and the rest of the world as a center for the production of sherry, one of the tastiest wines to drink as an aperitif. El Puerto de Santa María is one of the towns belonging to the Sherry triangle, an area known for its excellent wine production: El Puerto de Santa María, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Jerez de la Frontera. The three towns that make up the breeding area of the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Denomination of Origin. The cellars are rectangular, spacious, and the aroma of the wine itself is preserved inside. Throughout the city you can see the wineries, some of them can be visited, in the visits they show the curious the properties of winemaking and its properties.

The best-known wineries in the city are:

• Bodegas Caballero: The Knight Group, founded in Chipiona in 1830, moved to El Puerto de Santa María in the first third of the centuryXX.. Among its great products is the Fino Pavón, the Ponche Caballero, its Brandy Chevalier and its new wines from the Land of Cadiz de las Viñas Las Cruces.
• Osborne Bodegas: The Osborne Group is an entirely Spanish capital group traditionally dedicated to the world of wines, spirits, pork derivatives, and more recently to mineral waters. They are owners of brands like Fino Quinta, Magno, 103, Toro, Conde de Osborne, Jamones 5J, Montecillo, Malpica, Anís del Mono and Solán de Cabras. The wines and brandies that are made at the original headquarters of the group of this city are protected under the name of origin "Jerez-Xérès-Sherry", and the specific name "Brandy de Jerez".
• Bodegas Terry: Fernando A. de Terry, S.A., is a winery traditionally dedicated to the world of wines, spirits, and brandies. The wines and brandies that are made in their wineries are protected under the Denomination of Origin Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, and the Specific Denomination of Brandy de Jerez.
• Bodegas Gutiéreaz Colossía: Gutierrez Colosia. Since 1837, the wineries of the firm of Gutierrez Colosía have been found in the mouth of the Guadalete River, which were unique adquila next to the river: the dry winds of Levante and wet of Poniente from the Atlantic regulate the environmental humidity while maintaining the optimal conditions for the wines, providing the perfect temperature for the biological upbringing of the fine wines under the veil “in flower” that they reproduce. Fine Guide Field. Oloroso, Blood and Worker. Cream Mari Pepa. Amontillado Colosía. Brandy Elcano.
• Bodegas 501: The origin of the Bodegas 501 of the Port dates back in the years 1783, after years of effort the company obtained the recognition and granted it the title of Suppliers of the Royal House that was given by Alfonso XII in 1875, the king next to his wife, Queen Maria Cristina visited the wineries in the years 1877 and 1882. Over the centuries the company has been adapting to the changes and remains an independent company, which has gone through various properties.
• Bodega Obregón.
• Bodegas Edmundo Grant. Bodegas las 7 Esquinas apart from the sale of wine is also dedicated to the cuisine of the typical tapas, this business is known as El Patio of the 7 corners, in which they make dishes such as meat meat meat meat, Iberian sausages or cheeses and montaditos.

Media

Long live El Puerto printed edition. El Puerto Info, El Puerto Actualidad, digital editions. Provincial print and digital media with local editions: Diario de Cádiz and La Voz de Cádiz. Daily internet portal People of the Port

Radio stations: SER Puerto-Radio Cádiz 2, belonging to the PRISA group and Radio Puerto FM, belonging to the City Council under concession to a private company are the City's radio stations.

Television stations, 8TV and Ondaluz, have a space for daily attention to El Puerto. After the analog blackout, all those broadcasting from the city have disappeared.

Administration and politics

Casa-Palacio de Reynoso, former house of chargers to Indias, today municipal palace

During the pre-constitutional period (from 1976 to 1978):

• 1976, February, 1: Manuel Martínez Alfonso
• 1977, November, 3: Francisco Javier Merello Gaztelu
• 1978, October 23: Enrique Pedregal Valenzuela

During democracy:

• 1.o mandato (1979-1983): Antonio Álvarez Herrera of the PCA, in coalition with PSOE and PSA. In September 1981 he was replaced by Rafael Gómez Ojeda of the same party, resigning the party for pressures from the party.
• 2.o mandate (1983-1987): Rafael Gómez Ojeda of the PCA, in coalition with PSOE. On October 14, 1986, thanks to a motion of censorship supported by AP, Juan Manuel Torres Ramírez, of the PSOE obtained the mayor's office.
• 3.o mandato (1987-1991): Juan Manuel Torres Ramírez, of the PSOE, in coalition with the PP.
• 4.o mandate (1991-1995): Hernán Díaz Cortés, IP, in coalition with the PSOE.
• 5.o mandato (1995-1999): Hernán Díaz Cortés, from IP.
• 6.o mandate (1999-2003): Hernán Díaz Cortés, IP.
• 7.o mandate (2003-2007): Hernán Díaz Cortés, IP, in coalition with PSOE. Replaced in August 2006 by

Fernando Gago Garcia. As of July 21, 2006, Hernán Díaz Cortés is disqualified from public office for a crime of prevarication, with final sentence 508/05 of November 2, 2005, of the Criminal Court no. 4 of Cádiz, replacing him in the position on August 2, 2006 Fernando Gago García, from the same party.

• 8.o mandate (2007-2011): Enrique Moresco (PP), invested with the support of the PA. It governs with an absolute majority since October 10, 2007, thanks to the government agreement signed with the unregistered councillor and former mayor of the city, Fernando Gago García, who left Independent Portuguese.
• 9.o mandate (2011-2015): Enrique Moresco (PP) until January 2014, invested with the support of the PA.

Alfonso Candón Adán PP, invested with the support of the PA, after the resignation of Enrique Moresco in January 2014 for personal reasons.

• 10.o mandato (2015 - 2019): David de la Encina Ortega (PSOE), invested after a tripartite agreement with Levantemos El Puerto and IU, with which the three formations would become proportional representation in the municipal corporation in relation to the results obtained in the 2015 municipal elections. In June 2016 the government team is in minority following the cessation of the councillors of Levantemos El Puerto, the same being composed by PSOE and IU. In March 2019 IU left the municipal government when it was known that the mayor, David de la Encina Ortega, had sent an email to his superiors in a public company of the Junta de Andalucía, through which he requested not to go to work to dedicate himself to the PSOE electoral campaign in the last 7 months prior to the elections to which he presented himself.
• 11.th mandate (2019-2023): Germán Beardo Caro (PP) invested with the votes of PP and Citizens. They remain in the opposition, PSOE, Adelante Andalucía (Coalición de IU y Podemos), Vox and Unión Portuense.

List of mayors

Legislature	Period	Mayor	Party	Ideology	External support	Comments
I	1979-1981	Antonio Álvarez Herrera		Left		Dimit
	1981-1983	Rafael Gómez Ojeda
II	1983-1986					PSOE and AP Censorship Motion
	1986-1987	Juan Manuel Torres Ramírez		Left Centre
III	1987-1991
IV	1991-1995	Hernán Díaz Cortés		Right
V	1995-1999
VI	1999-2003
VII	2003-2006					Dimit
	2006-2007	Fernando Gago García
VIII	2007-2011	Enrique Moresco García		Right Centre
IV	2011-2014					Dimit
	2014-2015	Alfonso Candon Adam
X	2015-2019	David de la Encina Ortega		Left Centre	Let's get up. The Port
XI	2019-2023	Germán Beardo Caro		Right Centre

Twin cities

• Brighton, UK. The Port is not really twinned with Brighton as, according to the protocol of this last city, she is sistered with everyone. There is still a cooperation agreement with the Portuguese municipality^{[chuckles]required]}
• Calpe, Spain
• Coral Gables, USA. U.S.
• Dahira de La Güera de la wilaya de Auserd, in the refugee camps of Tinduf, RASD
• Texcoco, Mexico
• Ermoupoli, Greece

On the occasion of the Spring Fair and Fine Wine Festival, the following communities and provinces are twinned for such an event: Madrid, Lugo, La Coruña, Orense, Pontevedra, Cantabria, Extremadura, Jaén, Castilla y León, Alicante, Aragon, Vizcaya, Ceuta, Navarra, Valencia, Porto (Portugal), Cádiz, Ibero-American countries and Logroño (La Rioja) in 2013.

Notable people