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Sancti Petri is a small abandoned fishing village, located just north of La Barrosa beach. It’s directly across from small island upon which sits the Castle of Sancti Petri. The village of Sancti Petri is windswept and desolate, but still retains a certain charm. Just before the village, there is a fishing port and marina with many abandoned ships.
Follow the road past the old village and you’ll come to the modern harbour. This is totally different. It’s an active harbour, with a mooring capacity for over 700 boats. You will also find a yacht club, along with a windsurfing and sailing school. There are a few bars and restaurants too. The Bongo Bar is probably the most well known. It has lovely views out to Sancti Petri Island.
Apparently, General Franco would use the small island as a holiday resort for himself and his family when he was in power. When Franco died, the place fell into ruin. Although the village is now deserted, a few local people are said to be moving in to renovate some of the run down properties.
The castle of Sancti Petri, now abandoned, guards a fascinating history of the coast of Chiclana.
This castle is, without doubt, one of the most authentic places in all of Chiclana de la Frontera and Cadiz. Aside from that, from its vantage point, one is able to see the entirety of the National Park of the Bay of Cadiz.
The small island of Sancti Petri is located in the extreme south of San Fernando, and is situated at the mouth of the narrow channel of Sancti Petri, which is where it got its name. Long ago, it ws united to the island of Cádiz by a road that no longer exits due to errosion from the sea, although one can still see traces of it today.
Speaking more of history, it is on this small island of Sancti Petri where the famous Temple of Hercules is situated, also called Herakleion (named by the Phoenecian God, Melkart). This temple is one of the most important sanctuaries of the ancient world.
Pomponio Mela, re-named Latin historian assured that beneath the temple were the remains of Hercules himself, and for this motive, the temple became quite famous. Varous historic sources affirm that there were many famous characters from history who visited the temple.
Anibal came to the island to offer his oath of devotion to this God before leaving for his conquest of Italy.
Also, it is said that in this temple, Julius Cesar dreamt of his victories just after crying with tears of envy that he had arrived at the age of Alexander the Great, but had not achieved as many important victories as he.
The Tirios founded “Gadir” (later to be named Cadiz) and they built the western part of the city, and put its sanctuary on the east side, which was formed by a mixture of diverse buildings and situated in the oldest part of the city. The sanctuary had a large, open patio, whose door had two enormous columns. These are the famous doors that represented, dipped in bronze, the works of Hercules.
Historians affirm that the temple was founded during the Trojan War at the beginning of the 7th Century B.C.
In the columns at the entrance, probably made of bronze as well, ship navagators made their sacrafices. The sanctuary abounded with bronze altars with sacred fire or showing scenes of the life of Hercules.
It was during the Roman Empire when the temple came to its height of splendor, and it was put under the control of the Emperor Trajan, also known as Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus.
Numerous statues found in the remains of the temple demonstrate the important significance that the sanctuary had in its time. |
