Cadiz, Spain

Cadiz is a small Spanish port on the Atlantic Ocean. It was originally settled by the Phoenicians, then the Romans, the Muslims and finally the Spanish. It was an important seaport until Seville developed its port facilities upriver. Now it is losing population as the youth move to Seville looking for better jobs.

The most notable building is the Cathedral. Construction began in 1782 and it opened in 1832 even though the interior was not complete. It was built in stages as money became available so the exterior stonework varies in color. Unfortunately by its completion the town had shrunk so a cathedral this size was unnecessary.

The old section of town was a warren of small streets and old buildings. The bricks were "oyster stone," rectangular stones cut from oyster reefs. These tend to disintegrate (probably due to acid rain) so some of the buildings were partially covered with netting.Read more