| Huelva
The largely undiscovered provincial capital
is rich in history and has a unique and captivating
atmosphere. Originally a Phoenician settlement,
Huelva later became the Roman colony of Onuba.
Located at the mouths of the Río Tinto
and the Río Odiel, Huelva is virtually
an island surrounded by marshy ground, water
and sea. This means that Huelva is a successful
port used both by fishermen and by boats exporting
metal from the Río Tinto mines. Huelva’s
shrimps are famous throughout Spain and renowned
for their quality. In the 1755 earthquake that
destroyed Lisbon, Huelva itself was also badly
damaged and as such, much of the town appears
modern.
Traditionally associated with the discovery
of America, Huelva’s links with the sea
give the city its character. On the 3rd of August,
1492, the Columbus set off from the docks that
were once located in nearby Palos de la Frontera.
To the south of Huelva where the two rivers
meet is a huge statue of Columbus given to Huelva
by an American sculptress in the early 20th
century.
The Convent of the Merced is one of the few
pre 18th century buildings to have survived,
it was founded in 1605 and its church, which
was built in the 1700’s has been used
as Huelva’s cathedral since the 19th century.
Other buildings of note include the Gran Teatro,
the art nouveau Clínica Sanz de Frutos
and the neo-Moorish railway station. Huelva’s
characteristic symbol can be seen at the south
of the town where the now unused Río
Tinto pier stands. This imposing construction
of decaying iron work was built in 1874 and
designed by a British engineer. The centre of
Huelva consists of well kept streets built on
a grid, rising over a gentle slope. The Avenida
Martín Alonso Pinzón is the main
thoroughfare running through the northern part
of Huelva and it is characterised by the fascist
arcading which lines the street. Near here is
the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes, an excellent
museum displaying fascinating finds from the
Río Tinto in its archaeological section.
In the art section of the museum, there are
paintings from the 16th through to the 20th
century. North of this museum is a residential
area known as the Barrio Inglés which
was constructed by the British in the early
20th century in order to house their employees
in the Río Tinto mines. The architecture
in this suburb is distinctively British, except
that the houses have been painted in bright
primary colours making an unusual sight.
Huelva is a largely industrial city and the
area to the south of the city is an ugly collection
of factories and industrial units. To the south
of the centre there is a lively outdoor market
which is held in the mornings where you can
buy anything from fresh produce, meat and fish
to leather goods, cloth and toys.
Just north of Huelva is the Sanctuario de Nuestra
Señora de la Cinta. A pilgrimage is made
here on the 8th September each year. Beginning
in July and running into August, Huelva hosts
the Fiestas Colombinas, celebrating Huelva’s
connections with America. From the 3rd to the
8th of September, the Fiestas de la Cinta is
held and includes horseback displays and horse
races.
A sprawling town of 140,000 people, Huelva
is a bustling, lively place. There are plenty
of amenities including cinemas, schools, supermarkets,
shops and libraries, although there is only
one internet café in the city. Due to
the estuary formed by the rivers Odiel and Tinto,
Huelva can only be reached by following main
roads. The E01 dual carriageway runs from Huelva
to Sevilla, 80km to the east and the new dual
carriageway runs from the north of Huelva to
Portugal, 55km west. The train line that runs
through Huelva connects with Seville and Madrid.
The nearest airports are at Seville and at Faro,
110km away.
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