Heritage
The urban development that the city of San Fernando experienced during the Modern Age, especially during the 2nd century, has caused the vast majority of the island's monuments to date from this era. This development was motivated by the presence of the Navy in the old Villa de la Real Isla de León, which means that in San Fernando there are numerous military constructions, whether naval installations, scientific centers or religious temples. Much of the town's places of interest are located in the historic center of the city, especially on Real Street "Calle Real (San Fernando)"), the main artery of the old town since the modern urban center began to form.[120].
• - Punic and Phoenician Ovens: this set of potteries and ovens of Phoenician and Carthaginian origin, very rare in the West due to the high number of excavated productive structures as well as their state of conservation, is preserved in a series of octagonal glass displays located in a central square of the city. The potteries exhibited here come from two important workshops associated with the city of Gadir: the late-Punic pottery of Torre Alta and the Phoenician kilns of Sector III of Camposoto. The locally manufactured amphorae respond to Punic types very well known in the Cadiz bay and other enclaves of the Mediterranean Sea, dated between the final years of the century BC. C. until the middle of the century BC. C..[121].
• - Neolithic Village of Camposoto: one of the few remains from the Neolithic period that have been found in the bay. Located in Sector III of Camposoto, it was discovered during the construction works of a field hockey field.[122] A cabin bottom and four Ancient Bronze wells have been found, among other utensils.[123].
The city of San Fernando has considerable civil buildings and monuments, some of which have been very important not only for local history, but for the history of Spain. The most notable civil buildings in San Fernando are the Zuazo Bridge, a historic access road to the town and Cádiz; the town hall, the largest town hall in Andalusia and the third in the nation; the Royal Theater of the Cortes, where the deputies met during the drafting of the Constitution of 1812; and the two castles that the town has, the Castle of Sancti Petri and that of San Romualdo.
• - Zuazo Bridge (BIC "Asset of Cultural Interest (Spain)"):[124] this bridge, a symbol of the city and which appears on its shield, has been throughout history the main access route to the Island of León and Cádiz, crossing the Caño de Sancti Petri. Its original construction dates back to Roman times, when there was an aqueduct in the place where the bridge stands that brought drinking water from El Tempul (in present-day Jerez) to the city of Cádiz, the existence of which is referred to in certain Arabic texts. Despite this origin, the current Zuazo Bridge dates back to the late Middle Ages and early modern era. Its name comes from the surname of the Zuazo family who, in the 19th century, ordered the construction of a bridge over the San Pedro channel. In 1891, Joaquín Cristelly Laborde tells us that "its construction even today, despite modern advances in architecture, is admirable, drawing the attention of experts in these constructions as its pillars are raised on a muddy and removable bottom, the strong tides, the effort of the great currents that it has to withstand, are all reasons to consider it with sufficient grounds one of the great works built by the ancients to attest to the greatness of those who built it. they rose." In 1596, during the reign of Philip II, two forts were ordered to be built on both banks of the canal to monitor the transit of vehicles and beings through the viaduct (currently these defenses are in the process of restoration). This bridge was the scene of fights between raiders and Spanish forces throughout the centuries, but without a doubt the most important confrontation that occurred here was the one between Spanish troops and Napoleon's troops, during the Spanish War of Independence. For two and a half years (1810-1812) the defenders resisted the attack of the French forces, for which they had to destroy the central part of the bridge. Finally, the French withdrew due to the impossibility of crossing the channel.[125].
• - Town Hall (BIC):[126] Considered the largest building of civil architecture in Andalusia and the third largest in all of Spain, the Town Hall of San Fernando is an imposing building located in the central Plaza del Rey. The construction works of the Town Hall began in the middle of the century, under the direction of the architect Torcuato Cayón, continuing until the following century. Architects such as Torcuato Benjumeda and Ventura Rodríguez participated in the construction of this building. From the outside of this building with a rectangular floor plan and three stories high, the large façade stands out. The main entrance is accessed through a wide staircase. Inside, notable are the imperial-style staircase made of marble, and the Almirante General Lobo Library, whose more than 6,000 works include Anquitatum Romanorum, by Dionisio de Halicarnassus (Basel, 1549) and De Arte Gimnastica. Libri Sex, by Geronimo Mercuralis (Venice, 1569).
• - Castle of San Romualdo (BIC):[127] this ribat, whose origin is unknown although it is assumed that it was originally built around the century (despite this, the remains preserved today date back to the century), is a fortress located at the entrance to the old Isla de León, near the Zuazo Bridge. Property next to the bridge of the Zuazo family, who disputed its ownership with the Ponce de León, the Ribat of San Romualdo was known as Logar de la Puente, due to the proximity of the Zuazo Bridge, as Castillo de Suazo, for the family that owned these lands, and as Alquería de Rayhana, probably the original Islamic construction. Around this castle, and in the surroundings of the nearby Real Carenero, small settlements emerged that gave rise to the current San Fernando. And after the construction of the Arsenal de la Carraca, it coincided with the Carenero at the beginning of its decline. It is declared an Artistic Architectural Monument and appears in the European Cultural Heritage Protection Inventory.[128].
• - Real Carenero: this old shipyard is, together with the Zuazo bridge and the San Romualdo castle, one of the oldest buildings in San Fernando. Built in the times of the Catholic Monarchs, it represents the beginning of the establishment of the naval industry on the Island of León. With the Austrian dynasty, the Carenero strengthened its development and obtained the name Royal, thus dedicating its activities to motorcycle, wool and rigging factories, supply warehouses, and hulling facilities. Its geographical location, in the Caño de Sancti Petri and next to the Zuazo Bridge, posed a serious problem from the 19th century onwards, due to the greater draft of the ships and the loss of strategic importance. For the construction of a new shipyard, the Arsenal de la Carraca, a place located north of the canal was chosen. As a result of this event, the Real entered into decline, until it reached a state of ruin.[129] On the occasion of the bicentennial of the Cortes of 1810, the area has been restored with the intention of turning it into a tourist attraction for the city.
• - Castle of Sancti-Petri (BIC):[130] this castle, located on the Islet of Sancti Petri, at the southern mouth of the channel of the same name, is made up of a set of outbuildings and fortifications built between the and centuries. In ancient times, when the current islet was linked to Cádiz by a causeway, which today is buried under the sea, there was a temple of Phoenician origin, known as the Temple of Hercules. This sanctuary is one of the most important temples of the Ancient World. But no remains have been found of this temple, so the current castle was built in the Modern Age. This fort was built with the aim of protecting the nearby coasts against a foreseeable enemy attack. Its work was especially highlighted during the War of Independence, when it suffered the attack and siege of the French imperial troops, between 1810 and 1812. In 1823, during the attack of the One Hundred Thousand Sons of San Luis, fighting also took place around the islet. Currently in the process of reform, ownership was recently in dispute between the municipalities of Chiclana and San Fernando, the latter achieving legal recognition after a court ruling.[131][132][133].
• - Real Teatro de las Cortes (BIC):[134] this theater was inaugurated at the beginning of the century in 1804, as the House of Comedies of the Real Villa de la Isla de León. This place is known for being the place where, between September 1810 and February 1811, the deputies in charge of writing the first constitution in the history of Spain met, which would be promulgated in Cádiz in 1812. The meetings of the General and Extraordinary Cortes took place when the town was under siege by the French. The building is architecturally characterized by the artistic value of its interior, which contrasts with the modest exterior.[135].
• - Patio del Cambiazo (BIC):[136] this century patio is a clear example of a typical Baroque island farmhouse, in which you can see a large access patio to which a series of doorways "Portada (architecture)" give. The Cambiazo patio, located on Real Street, has been recently remodeled.
• - Croquer Alley: this small alley, which connects Real Street and Murillo Street, is probably the most unique street in all of San Fernando, thanks to its historical tradition and popularity throughout the city. A detail worth highlighting on this street is the presence of small tiles hanging on some of the doors of their houses with popular sayings and jokes. Declared a historic-artistic complex, this alley was built in the 137th century.
• - Marqués de Ureña Bridge: this small bridge was built with the objective of connecting the Military Population of San Carlos and the Carraca Arsenal. With a single lowered arch, the pipe it crossed dried up so the bridge fell into disuse. It is named after Gaspar de Molina y Saldívar, third Marquis of Ureña, director of the Town of San Carlos and builder of the Royal Institute and Observatory of the Navy.[138].
• - Defensive Batteries of Punta del Boquerón.
• - Bullring "Plaza de toros de San Fernando (Cádiz)"): the San Fernando bullring dates back to 1871, being the second oldest bullring in the province. The island plaza has a capacity of 8,000 spectators. Students from the San Fernando bullfighting school train there.
• - Watchtowers of the Torre Alta hill.
• - 
Zaporito Tidal Mill
Zaporito Tidal Mill: It owes its name to Juan Domingo Saporito, a rich Genoese living in Cádiz, Administrator of the Royal Customs of this city, who in the year 1700 bought a large estate in the Villa de la Isla de León, in the place known as Las Tres Cruces, which to the east extended to the Sancti Petri channel. Later in 1711, Saporito built a pipe so that the waters of Sancti Petri would reach the dock on his property. This new pipe took as its name the surname of its owner and builder Saporito, a word that suffered from the phonetic phenomenon of Andalusian speech called lisp, by which /S/>/Z/, becoming Zaporito, and thus remaining the toponym of the area. In the year 1717, Juan Domingo Saporito, before returning to Genoa, sold the property to José Micón, another rich Genoese living in Cádiz, who built the tidal mill known as Molino del Zaporito, because it was built on the pipe that already bore this name and to which it served as a bridge. José Micón married his only daughter Teresa Micón Porrata to Bartolomé Zaldívar, Count of Saucedilla, who in turn also married his only daughter, Manuela Zaldívar Micón, to José Molina y Rocha, II Marquis of Ureña, thus in the middle of the century the possession of Las Tres Cruces, which included the pipe and the Zaporito Mill, became the property of his son Gaspar de Molina y Zaldívar, III Marquis of Ureña and IV Count of Saucedilla. The theory disseminated in the seventies of the last century that maintained that the place name Zaporito was a word that derived from San Hipólito, has no basis. To learn more, consult: PEDRO MARTÍNEZ CHAMORRO and Mª ELENA MARTÍNEZ RODRÍGUEZ DE LEMA: El Zaporito: its name, its origin and its history. San Fernando 1992. Mª ELENA MARTÍNEZ RODRÍGUEZ DE LEMA: El Zaporito 300 years of history. 1917.
The military presence in the town of San Fernando has been of vital importance for its development, a legacy of which the rich monumental heritage bears witness. Among these constructions, the most notable are the Arsenal de la Carraca, a military shipyard in which numerous ships have been built; the Pantheon of Illustrious Sailors, where the mortal remains of numerous Spanish sailors rest; the Royal Institute and Observatory of the Navy, a scientific center that marks the official time of Spain; and the General Captaincy. In addition, there are several fortifications and castles in the city that currently belong to civil governments.
• - Arsenal de la Carraca: the La Carraca shipyards were built in the century to replace the Real Carenero. Construction work began in 1752, under the leadership of the Quartermaster General of the Navy, José Patiño, and the Marquis of La Ensenada, Zenón de Somodevilla. The works were initially under the command of the military scientist Jorge Juan Santacilia, and later, in the hands of the Minister of the Navy Antonio Valdés. Many ships have been launched in this Arsenal, among which the ships Hércules, Discovered, Atrevida, and the Submarine Peral stand out. Furthermore, the Juan Sebastián Elcano Training Ship "Juan Sebastián Elcano (ship)") is moored in La Carraca when it is not making one of its voyages through the seas of the world.[144].
• - Panteón de Marinos Ilustres: in this neoclassical style temple built in the 19th century in the Military Town of San Carlos, rest the mortal remains of numerous Spanish soldiers, such as Federico Gravina, Cosme Damián Churruca, Jorge Juan Santacilia or Cayetano Valdés. Originally built as the church of the Purísima Concepción by the Marquis of Ureña, Gaspar de Milivar y Saldívar, its construction was not completed until 1854, although the works were definitively completed in the middle of the century.[145][146][147].
• - Royal Institute and Observatory of the Navy: the ROA is a scientific center of the Navy, which fulfills the functions of an astronomical observatory and training center for scientific-military personnel, in addition to having a library that houses some 30,000 volumes. The construction of this center dates back to the end of the century, and the Torre Alta hill was chosen for its construction, due to its higher altitude. The ROA is in charge of setting the official time of Spain.[148].
• - Captaincy General of San Fernando: this institution has been present in San Fernando since, in 1769, the Maritime Department moved from Cádiz to the Island of León. The current headquarters of the Captaincy is located on Calle Real, after having previously had two headquarters: on the same street, at the beginning, and in the Military Town of San Carlos. This building was built in 1917 and remodeled in the middle of the century, under the imperialist style of Francoism.[149].
The town of San Fernando has several religious buildings, all of Catholic worship, mostly built in the 19th century. The main churches of San Fernando are the main church of San Pedro and San Pablo, the largest temple in the city and place of the oath of the Cortes of Cádiz; the conventual church of Carmen "Iglesia conventual del Carmen (San Fernando)"), in which Fernando VII granted the municipality the title of city and the name of San Fernando; San Francisco military church, built by the Navy; and the hermitage of the Cerro de los Mártires, built in honor of the martyrs San Servando and San Germán beheaded in the place on which the hermitage sits.[150].
• - Major Church of San Pedro and San Pablo (BIC):[151] this neoclassical style church, popularly known as the main church, is the largest of all the island's religious temples. Built in the 19th century, construction work began in 1757 and concluded in 1769 under the project of Alejandro María Pavía, although it was Torcuato Benjumeda who completed the works. Architecturally, the two bell towers stand out, crowned with blue tiles, and in which the bells are located. In this temple, the deputies in charge of writing the Constitution of 1812 met for the first time, swearing to work for Spain. Here is the most fervent image in the city of El Nazareno, which according to tradition was found in 1751 in an old inn, known as Mesón del Duque, after being abandoned by two Italian travelers. There is also the image of the patron saint of the city since 1800, San José.
• - Iglesia conventual del Carmen "Iglesia conventual del Carmen (San Fernando)"): this Carmelite convent and church, inaugurated in 1733, is a building that presents characteristics of the architectural styles of Baroque and Neoclassicism. The owner of the temple, the Virgen del Carmen Coronada, is the patron saint of the city by rescript of the Pope since June 14, 1921, crowned as such in 1951. She is also patron saint of the Spanish Navy since 1901. In this church, King Fernando VII granted the Royal Island of León the title of city and the current name of San Fernando.
• - Vatican Military Church of San Francisco: this century temple was built by the Spanish Navy. Construction work began in 1785, although previously there was a hospice-school of the Franciscan Fathers in this place who provided worship services since 1765. The construction corresponds to a time of opposition to the Baroque. The church has a set of ten ovals that is part of an apostolate, the work of Muñoz de la Vega. It also has a painting attributed to Juan Carreño de Miranda (The Miracle of the Porciuncula) and three paintings by Mariano Salvador Maella, chamber painter of King Charles IV (The Immaculate Conception, Saint Charles imparting communion among the plagued in Milan and Saint Fernando receiving the keys of Seville).
• - Church of the Divina Pastora "Church of the Divina Pastora (San Fernando)"): this church was built in the 19th century, with the islander Esteban Cróquer being in charge of building the temple. The owner of the church, the Virgin of the Divine Shepherdess, is also co-patron of the city. Architecturally, the main façade stands out, which has a lintel door framed by two pairs of attached pilasters. Above the lintel there is an oculus that gives light to the hallway and, crowning it, a continuous cornice and a triangular pediment "Fronton (architecture)") in which the rectangular modillions are marked. Inside, the altarpiece stands out, the work of Ángel Bugatto.
• - Chapel of Our Lady of the Forsaken (Old chapel of the San José Hospital): the chapel is located in the Plaza de San José, inside the building that was the complex of the Hospital of San José. The building links its foundation to the work of the Cádiz Bishop Fray Tomas del Valle. Since its inauguration as such in 1768 until today, it has gone through different phases and tasks. The complex has a rectangular plan. Inside it houses the Chapel of the Brotherhood of the Helpless, as well as the old sick room, cloister and another room, now converted into a School. The wounded from the Battle of Trafalgar were hospitalized in the old Sick Ward. The material used for its construction was stone, lime and stone. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Forsaken was reopened for worship on December 1, 1985.
• - Hermitage of the Cerro de los Mártires: this small hermitage was erected on the Cerro de los Mártires in honor of San Servando and San Germán (patrons of Cádiz and Mérida "Mérida (Spain)") and co-patrons of San Fernando) who, according to tradition, were beheaded around the year 305 on the aforementioned hill or in its surroundings. The construction of the hermitage dates back to 1880. In 1942 the original hermitage was demolished and replaced by the current one. The first stone of the previous hermitage was buried in this new chapel. On October 23, 1945 it was blessed and, since then, every October 23, a pilgrimage was celebrated, the pilgrimage of San Servando and San Germán, in honor of the co-patron saints. In recent years it is celebrated on the Sunday following October 23.
• - Church of the Holy Christ of the True Cross: built in the 19th century, the old church of Christ began to be built in 1775, with the old temple being built on a convent of the Mercedarian Fathers. Of its set of images, the image of Christ is notable, by an anonymous author, who is the owner of the church and one of the oldest brotherhoods in the city. According to tradition, the image of Christ appeared among the remains of a shipwreck in the waters of Caño Herrera, in the Bay of Cádiz. The age of this work of art would range between the last third of the century and the beginning of the century. Also notable among the works of imagery in the church is a Dolorosa and an image of Saint John. These last two sculptures also have a curious origin: their authorship is attributed to a sculptor who, while traveling to the Indies, fell seriously ill. It is said that he asked for help from the aforementioned Christ of the True Cross and, after recovering, he carved these two images as a thank you. In 1972, the new church was inaugurated, which is the one used for religious events.
• - Temple of San José Artesano: the construction of this temple began on May 1, 1993, which makes it the most modern church in the city. The direction of the works was awarded to Antonio Abalos Culebra. The church consists of two bodies joined by arches, the main part and the bell tower; both developed in an octagonal structure that refers to the eighth day, symbol of the resurrection.
• - Church of the Immaculate Conception: this small temple is located in the Casería de Ossio. The origin of its construction and the date on which it was built are unknown, since, although the figure of 1887 appears on its façade, this cannot be the date of its foundation, since in the pastoral visit of Bishop Jaime Catalá y Barbosa, on May 26, 1880, this church appears as a chapel. Probably, the creation of this chapel must be placed between 1822 and the aforementioned 1880.
• - Parish of San Servando and San Germán: small parish located in the Ardila neighborhood. It is an unremarkable building, in which the images of the Holy Christ of Humility and Patience and the Holy Mary of Sorrows stand out.
• - Parish of the Sagrada Familia: small parish, probably the smallest in the city. During Holy Week&action=edit&redlink=1 "Holy Week in San Fernando (Cádiz) (not yet written)"), its owner, the Great Power, must take the longest itinerary of those carried out by the local brotherhoods.