| Ceuta | ||
 | ||
Coat of arms and flag   | ||
| State | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Andalusia (Historical Region) | |
| Altitude | From 0 to 359 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 18.5 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 85.144 (2018) | |
| Prefix tel | 34 856, 34 956 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 51000–51999 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1:00 | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Ceuta is a city of Spain in the region of Mediterranean Morocco.
To know
Ceuta represents an alternative entrance to Tangier for those travelers who have decided to go to Morocco taking advantage of the frequent ferries that shuttle with the opposite ports Andalusians.
Geographical notes
Located about 65 km from Tangier, Ceuta is a possession Spanish.
The city lies on a slender peninsula that extends for km into the waters of the Mediterranean, at the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Background
The city was a Roman military outpost on the Pillars of Hercules with the name of Septem. At the fall of the empire it fell into the hands of the Visigoths from whom it was snatched by general Belisarius as part of the policy of reconquest of the western Mediterranean operated by the Emperor Justinian. The Byzantines kept it for a short period after which the city returned to the Visigoths who were definitively driven out during the eighth century by the Arab invaders.
On 21 August 1415 the stronghold was conquered by the sons of the King of Portugal John I. With the invasion of Portugal by Philip II, Ceuta passed into the hands of the crown of Spain which still holds it together with other cities on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco
The Morocco it claims possession of it supported by other nations African but the Spanish government remained deaf to the requests and never entered into negotiations with the other party.
Ceuta rose to the headlines from the 2000s onwards due to repeated attempts by African emigrants to smuggle into its territory, to which the Spanish authorities reacted by erecting a wire mesh across the border with the Morocco. Ceuta is an integral part of the European Union and the euro raced there.
How to orient yourself
Ceuta: full screen map.- Center - The city center stretches out on the isthmus, separated from the mainland by a short moat, the Foso de San Felipe, watched by Murallas Reales, a defensive work that dates back to the time of the Arab conquest and which today houses the museum of the same name.
- The Paseo de Las Palmeras runs along the marina joining Plaza de Africa with Plaza de la Constitución. The first overlooks the cathedral with the adjoining museum and, opposite, the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Africa. At its center stands the Monument to los Caídos in the War of Africa which commemorates the Spanish fallen during the war of 1859, at the time of Queen Isabella II.
- Land - West of the center and beyond Foso de San Felipe, meets the port area where the ferries from the ports land Andalusians. Close to the Estación Marítima extends the Industrial area, completely devoid of tourist interest.
- On the opposite sea side are the most popular beaches of Ceuta, lapped by the road that leads to the border crossing with Morocco.
- Mount Hacho - The Mount Hacho area borders the center to the east. Its summit, reachable by cable car, is a panoramic point ("Mirador de San Antonio") with magnificent views over the city and the opposite Rocca di Gibraltar. In the Franco era some monuments were built on Mount Hacho which today are in a state of neglect. At the foot of the promontory there are some beaches including that of El Sarchal, the closest to the center and Playa Torrecilla, further away and next to the lighthouse.
How to get
By plane
- 1 Ceuta heliport (IATA: JCU) (Ceuta). Cauta can be reached by domestic flights from Melilla, rum raisin is Algeciras made by Helity.
By car
There are no overland connections between Ceuta and the rest of Morocco and the only way to cross the border crossing is by private car or on foot.
Customs is quite a chaotic place and you have to be very careful not to hand over your passport or ID in the wrong hands.
- 2 Port of Ceuta. There are very frequent maritime connections with Algesiraz, managed by FRS companies, Balearia. The times are shown on the official site of the harbor master's office (Autoridad Portuaria de Ceuta).
How to get around
By public transport
Urban transport consists of 9 bus lines which, except one, terminate at the Plaza de la Constitución. They carry out the following paths:
- Line 1: Circunvalación Bda. San Amaro.
- Line 2: Plaza de la Constitución-Bda. Zurrón.
- Line 3: Plaza de la Constitución-Bda. the Libertad.
- Line 4: Plaza de la Constitución-Mutua de Ceuta.
- Line 5: Plaza de la Constitución-Bda. Benzú.
- Line 6: Plaza de la Constitución-Bda. Juan Carlos
- Line 7: Plaza de la Constitución-Frontera del Tarajal.
- Line 8: Plaza de la Constitución-Bda. Príncipe Alfonso.
- Line 9: Plaza de la Constitución-Recinto Sur.
What see
- 1 Royal Walls (Murallas Reales) (Plaza de Armas). They date back to the period of Arab domination (711-1415). The innermost ones have undergone successive modifications, and are the most important part, having been built by the Portuguese and rebuilt by the Spaniards in the years 1674 and 1705. Currently, the Royal Walls house one of the seats of the City Museum. All this is completed with underground tunnels, dug for the defense of the city.
- 2 Cathedral (Cathedral of Ceuta) (Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament). With the patronage ofAssumption of the Virgin, was built on a mosque from the period of Arab domination (711-1415). The last renovation dates back to 1949. Its fame is also due to the baroque altar and the frescoes by Michele Bernardini, as well as three large canvases and the image of the Virgin Captain of Portuguese origin (15th century). The front is neoclassical, in black marble. The interior consists of three naves, with a large choir in the front.
- 3 Sanctuary and church of Santa Maria dell'Africa (Sanctuary and Iglesia de Santa María de África). Built in 1421 to house a sacred image sent by the Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator, the temple underwent successive modifications, the most important of which was carried out in the 18th century. The altarpiece is decorated with a large sculptural work depicting the Madonna with Christ.
- 4 Arab bath in the square of peace (Baño árabe de la plaza de la Paz). These are remains found in Ceuta and dated from the 13th century, which represent the layout of an atypical Arab bathroom, zig-zag, with four bedrooms, positioned in parallel pairs. They all have a substantially rectangular shape, with the longer sides oriented in a North-South direction. The Islamic world attributed to these structures, more than hygienic and curative properties, a possible religious significance.
- 5 Late Roman Basilica, via Queipo de Llano. Foundations of an early Christian basilica from the end of the 4th century AD. or early V.
- 6 Mediterranean maritime park. Built and designed by César Manrique. It is a park filled with sea water.
- 7 Town Hall Building (Palacio de la Asamblea). Built in 1926, the palace is depicted in the royal banner. The "Throne Room" and the "Sitting Room" have a coffered ceiling with frescoes by Mariano Bertuchiel. The flag is in red and purple damask silk, embroidered by Felipa woman for "a greater luminosity of the Portuguese crown". It bears the shield of the Portugal as a symbol of the city. The banner is kept in the Town Hall and paraded in the wake of the Authorities on the day of the feast of Corpus Domini.
- 8 House of the Dragons (Casa de los Dragones), paseo de Camoens. Commissioned in 1900 by Francisco Cerni González, mayor of Ceuta from 1897 to 1903, the building was designed by the Valencian architect José M. Cortina Pérez and completed in 1905.
- Perez was an eclectic architect who adorned the roof with bronze dragon statues which is why the palace became known as the dragon house. The Spanish Falange party had its offices here after the 1936 revolution. The original dragons were removed in 1925 and lost but four new dragons were designed by Antonio Romero Vallejo. Made largely of resin and fiberglass painted to look bronze, the new dragons weigh less than 200kg each.
Museums
- 9 Ceuta Museum (Revellín Museum), Paseo del Revellín, 30, ☎ 34 956 51 17 70.
Tue-Sun 11: 00-14: 00 and 17: 00-21: 00. The main seat of the museum is located in the former military pavilion of the Revellín barracks, built in 1900 and restored in 1989, on the occasion of its designation of cultural heritage. The building, in neoclassical style, houses two rooms for temporary exhibitions on the ground floor.
Tue-Sun 11: 00-14: 00 and 17: 00-21: 00. The main seat of the museum is located in the former military pavilion of the Revellín barracks, built in 1900 and restored in 1989, on the occasion of its designation of cultural heritage. The building, in neoclassical style, houses two rooms for temporary exhibitions on the ground floor.- The museum has a second location in the Rivellino de San Ignacio, part of the royal walls of Ceuta.
- The museum's collection is divided into two sections: one for archeology, located in the main building, and one for fine arts, located in the Revellín de San Ignacio.
- 10 Room-museum of the Legión, Av, Calle Dean Navarro Acuña, 6, ☎ 34 956 52 62 19.
Free entry. Mon-Sat 10: 00-13: 30. The museum is dedicated to the Spanish Legion, an army unit established in 1920 that played a pivotal role in Franco's Republican army. There are memorabilia, weapons and uniforms on display and even a statue of Franco.
Free entry. Events and parties
What to do
- 1 Playa de la Ribera. It is the busiest beach in Ceuta, located in the city center. It is accessed by lift.
- 2 Playa del Chorillo.
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Where stay
Moderate prices
Hostales and pensiones are the cheapest accommodations. A complete list is available on the Ceuta tourism website.
