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Villages in Cadiz

Rota

Villages in Cadiz

Rota

Rota has approximately 26.000 inhabitants located in the province of Cádiz (Andalucía, Spain), next to the bay of Cádiz. It borders on Chipiona, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerto de Santa María.

It is located in the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Portugal and Gibraltar, Chipiona is a tourist town, a holiday destination to travellers who come from all the places of Europe. In low season, its main commercial activity is the fishing industry.

The Naval Base of Rota is located inside the town.

With respect to its history and due to its strategic situation between the mouth of the River Guadalquivir and the entrance of the Bay of Cádiz- it has been a passage place from different cultures and civilizations. The origins of Rota go back until the Prehistory, especially to the Brass age, from which it has been found an important necropolis.

Apparently the first name that had this town was “ASTAROTH”, which means “Puerto de Asta”, being “Asta Regia” one of the most important towns of the Tartessian civilization. During the Roman Age it would name “Oraculum Menestei” and later “Speculum Rotae”. Finally, during the Arab invasion it was named “Rabeta Ruta”, and the Christian conquerors will call it “Rotta”.

Rota Monuments

Luna Castle
The Church of La O (XVI century)
Tower of La Merced (XVII century)
Chapel of San Roque (XVII century)
Chapel of La Caridad
Muralla (with the Puertas de Regla, Jerez and the Arco del Muelle)
Los Corrales (declared Natural Monument)

Merced Convent / Merced Tower

The Convent of La Merced was founded by Rodrigo Ponce de León in the 17th century. The Merced Tower is the only architectural remains of this Mercedarian convent, destroyed by the earthquaque that struck Rota in 1722. Actually, the tower is square in shape in its lower part and octagonal in its higher part. It is finished off with a semicircular dome decorated with shiny blue and White tiles.

Merced Convent / Merced Tower - Rota

Merced Convent / Merced Tower

Merced Convent / Merced Tower

Merced Convent / Merced Tower

Merced Convent / Merced Tower

Municipal Central Market

This market was built in 1928 on part of the area of the ancient Convent of La Merced. Around a central porticoed courtyard were the stalls for the sale of meat, fish, eggs, fruit and vegetables. In 2008, the cloister-courtyard of the public market was reopened after its restoration, giving it a convent like air in keeping with the history in which it was built.

Rota Municipal Central Market

Rota Municipal Central Market

Rota Municipal Central Market

Saint John´s Baptist or Charity´s Chapel (17th century)

It is locate in the center of the urban area. It is Baroque in style and has the shape of a Latin cross. The main altarpiece is really valuable and it was made in the 18th century by a sculptor from Jerez name Diego Roldan.

Saint John´s Baptist or Charity´s Chapel of Rota

Saint John´s Baptist or Charity´s Chapel

San Roque Chapel (17th century)

It was built in the middle of the 17th century. This chapel was formerly located on the outskirts of Rota, and was a small hermitage where the locals used to go to pray.

It consist of three naves separated by short and thick columns. The 18th century image of the Cristo de la Veracruz, of great artistic value, is preserve don the main altar.

San Roque Chapel - Rota

Arch of the Villa

The Arch of the Villa is one of the four gates of the old medieval wall that surrounded Rota. As this ancient door is located in the most central area of the wall, it would become the main Gateway of the town.

Arch of the Villa

Rota Gastronomy

The municipality bases its gastronomy on its native products, but we have to mention its famous tomatoes and pumpkins. From its land and sea, Rota generates its culinary art. We have to emphasize the Urta a la Roteña, the Herring, the omelete with prawns and the incomparable Tintilla de Rota, unique in the world.

How to get there

By Plane: through the International Airport called “La Parra”, in Jerez de la Frontera located to 25 kilometres from Rota. Other airports are the International Airport of San Pablo in Sevilla to 115 kilometres from the town, the one of Gibraltar to 155 kilometres and the Airport of Málaga to 267 kilometres.

By Car: If you leave from Madrid, Sevilla or Jerez, take the “N-IV Madrid-Cádiz” until El Puerto de Santa Maria and take the detour “Rota-Chipiona”. Next you have to take into account that if you want to go to the Villa de Rota (Casco Urbano – Rota Norte) you should have covered 27 kilometres approximately in order to observe the entrance (first bridge) and take the suitable detour.

Distances

Cádiz 45 km
Sevilla 127 km
San Fernando 48 km
Jerez de la Frontera 30 km


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