LOS ZUÑIGAS CASTLEFORTRESS

erected between 1417 and 1420 on a land elevation dominating all access to Cartaya. Two years later the castle was fortified by stoning the walls and the towers were armed with artillery to avoid the dangers from pirate attacks from the coast and the bordering conflicts from the Portuguese neighbours.

It has been declared National Monument. It is rectangular with an 8 metre height and 130 length wall. It has recently been restored and both the bell tower and the keep are in good state. It has a beautiful mudejar gate.

LA MERCED MONASTERY

Destroyed by the Lisbon earthquake it was again erected back in 1765. At present it houses private dwellings and is kept in good conditions, above all the baroque tower built in the North side and upper part of the building. This tower is made of stone and is plain up to the bell tower. In principle it was a trinitarian monastery of the Discalced Mercedarian order devoted to the redemption of captives and it is erected on the Huelva coast as well as other monasteries of the same order, coast which was almost always devastated by the Berber and Norman pirates.

CONSOLACIÓN HERMITAGE

Founded by an ‘indiano’ in the 16th Century, it is located Northwest of Cartaya. The hermitage, of Andalusian baroque style, has recently been restored.

EL ROMPIDO LIGHTHOUSES

The image of El Rompido are its lighthouses. The lowest one has been restored and converted into a cultural and tourist centre. Dates back to 1861 and was erected on a land elevation using the rests of the former San Miguel de Arca de Buey Castle. Its catadrioptics rises over 24 metres above sea level and also had two enfilading lights set on iron columns aimed for daylight signals. The modern lighthouse is located next to the other one creating the typical picture of the El Rompido beach.

MUDEJAR PILLARS

The mudejar pillars of La Dehesa and Mogaya are the preceding of the present irrigation system of Cartaya. Strawberries, oranges and other crops have changed the outline of a well developing town.

ST PETER’S PARISH CHURCH

St. Peter’s Parish Church was erected between 1575 and1606 on a former mudejar one ground plan church. It is of renaissance style according to that period taste and has three aisles. During mass celebration the present main door is opened; the latter as the rest of the building has a baroque style, since after the fatal Lisbon earthquake in 1755 the church had to be fully restored. Among its treasures there is a 16th century image of the ‘Cristo de las Siete Palabras’, a baroque image of St. Joachim and several cult objects dating back to the 17th & 17th centuries donated by ‘indianos’ of Cartaya origin.