CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS

Activities and Leisure - Cultural attractions / El Puerto de Santa María

Plaza de Alfonso X el Sabio, 3 11500, El Puerto de Santa María

+34 627 569 339

www.caballero.es

Description

The Castle of San Marcos is of Muslim origin, built on a rábita or Muslim castle-fortress, where inside you can find the original mosque from that period.

The castle had already existed in El Puerto de Santa María since prehistoric times. Legend has it that El Puerto de Santa María was founded by the Athenian warrier Menestheo, who participated in the Trojan War and had sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar, finding a bay in which to moor his fleet and from there, the town was founded.

In 1260 Alfonso X of Castile, known as the Wise King, conquered the town and named it Santa María del Puerto. Due to its proximity to Cádiz, it has always held strategic importance. During the trading era with the West Indies, El Puerto de Santa María reached its peak and a number of palaces were built around the Castle of San Marcos.

Its walls from the Christian era are equipped with battlement towers. Interestingly enough, the castle was home to such illustrious figures as Christopher Columbus, who lived here for a year while he planned his trip to the New World or Juan de la Cosa, who drew up the first Mapa Mundis inside the castle walls in the year 1500.