Islote de Sancti Petri

The Islote de Sancti Petri is a small barren island belonging to the municipality of San Fernando, Cádiz in the province of Cádiz and the autonomous region of Andalusia, Spain. It is close to the coast and 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of Cadiz city.

View of islote and castle of Sancti Petri in San Fernando, Cádiz.

For many years, the island was a restricted military zone, but it is now under the control of the Spanish Environment Ministry. In the first century BC, the Greek historian Strabo mentioned in his book Geographica that the Tyrians founded Gadeira, building a sanctuary to Melkart, known as Hercules to the Greeks, in the eastern part of the island and the city in the western part.

Castle edit

Sancti-petri castle
Native name
Spanish: Sancti-petri
 
 
Location of Sancti-petri castle in Province of Cádiz
 
 
Islote de Sancti Petri (Andalusia)
 
 
Islote de Sancti Petri (Spain)
LocationSan Fernando, Cádiz, Spain
Coordinates36°22′47″N 6°13′13″W / 36.379607°N 6.220177°W / 36.379607; -6.220177
Official nameSancti-petri castle
TypeNon-movable
CriteriaMonument
Designated1993
Reference no.RI-51-0007584

The ruins of an eighteenth-century castle remain on the island; the tower of the castle has been substantially rebuilt, and it is now in use as a lighthouse. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1993.[citation needed]

The name, Sancti Petri, also applies to the beach on the mainland, in Chiclana de la Frontera, directly opposite the island.

References edit