5 curiosities of Cádiz

Cádiz packs three thousand years into one square kilometre, and that leads to some strange stories.

Five, with the data verified: including the story of the man who had an actor executed for being ugly.

1. It is the oldest city in the West

Founded by the Phoenicians around 1100 BC under the name of Gadir. That’s more than three thousand years of continuous occupation, making it the oldest urban settlement in Western Europe.

What was Gadir? a trading centre on the Atlantic route, specialising in metals, salt and salted foods. It then passed into Carthaginian and Roman hands.

And the detail that puts it into perspective: in Roman times, Gades once had a population of around 50,000. By the 1st century BC, it was a truly large city.

2. The Roman theatre that came to light following a fire

In the Pópulo district, the oldest in the city, there is a Roman theatre dating from the 1st century BC which remained hidden until 1980.

How it was found

By chance, in October 1980. A fire destroyed a group of houses in the neighbourhood and, whilst the rubble was being cleared, the workers began to come across curved walls made of carved stone. What looked like just any old Roman wall turned out to be the entire cavea of a monumental theatre.

It was one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the second half of the 20th century in Spain. And today you can see how the houses in the neighbourhood were literally built right on top of the terraces.

Numbers, which often go wrong

• Diameter of the cavea: approximately 120 metres.
• Capacity: over 10,000 spectators, according to Cádiz City Council and the Regional Government of Andalusia. The figure of 20,000 is being bandied about, but official sources give the lower figure.
• It is the oldest Roman theatre on the Iberian Peninsula, y the second largest, second only to Córdoba.

⚠️ And here’s a handy tip you should know

Admission is free, but Capacity is limited to 15 people at any one time for the safety of visitors and the structures.

That means there may be a wait. And there are two more things:

• It is closed on the first Monday of every month.
• You are not allowed to enter in the 15 minutes before closing time.

Approximate opening hours: in summer from 11.00 to 17.00, in winter from 10.00 to 16.30, and on Sundays only in the morning. It is advisable to check in advance.

3. Balbo the Younger, the man who had an actor executed for being ugly

This is the real curiosity, and it is recounted by Cicero.

The theatre was commissioned by Lucius Cornelius Balbus the Younger, a man from Cadiz who founded the Neapolis, the new city of Gades. And a letter written by Asinius Pollio to Cicero recounts what he did there:

• He performed a play he had written himself, which recalled his collaboration with Julius Caesar.
• It held the elections for both years in a single sitting.
• He reserved fourteen seats for the gentlemen from Cádiz.
• He presented an actor with the Knights’ Ring.
• And he had another man executed for being very ugly.

It is one of the few buildings from Roman Hispania to be directly mentioned by classical authors: they mention it Cicero and the geographer Strabo.

Strabo also recounts that the people of Cádiz lived in a very small town until Balbus built another one next to it.

4. The cannons fixed in the corners

As you stroll through the old town, you’ll see cannons stuck vertically into the ground, on the corners of the narrow streets.

And here we need to clarify something, because it’s often misunderstood: they aren’t there to defend anything. They are corner guards: disused artillery pieces repurposed for to protect the corners of houses from being scraped by carriages.

It does indeed have military origins. Cádiz was a major stronghold and military port, particularly during the Napoleonic siege and the stage of the The 1812 Wars. When those cannons became obsolete, the city found a practical new use for them: burying them upside down.

It’s the most ordinary detail of his time as a defender, and it’s on display across half the city.

5. La Caleta, which stood in for Havana in the James Bond film

In *Die Another Day* (2002), starring Pierce Brosnan, Cádiz stands in for Havana.

And the reason wasn’t aesthetic, it was bureaucratic: The Cuban government did not grant permission to film on the island, so the production team looked for a city on the Atlantic coast with a similar feel. Cádiz ticked that box.

What you see on the screen:

• La Caleta and the La Palma spa resort, which have been converted into the «Hotel Gran Palacio». That’s where Halle Berry appears, emerging from the water, the scene that everyone remembers.
• The Southern Field, playing Malecón. The resemblance is striking.
• San Sebastián Castle, which has been converted into a clinic where genetic experiments are carried out.
• The Cathedral, peeking out from the background of a scene.

La Caleta is flanked by the castles of San Sebastián and Santa Catalina, and it’s one of the best sunsets on the Atlantic. That’s why they chose it.

And one that needs to be approached with care: the cathedral and the Giralda

It is often said that Cádiz Cathedral was designed to be taller than the Giralda and that a lack of money prevented him from doing so.

It’s a story that’s often told, but it’s best to regard it as a local tradition rather than as documented evidence.

What has been proven, and is already striking, is:

• Work began in 1722 and was completed in 1838. They are 116 years.
• That’s why he mixes styles: It begins in the Baroque style and ends in the Neoclassical style. This can be seen in the façade itself.
• Its yellow dome, made of glazed tiles, is what defines the city’s maritime character.

Its official name is Santa Cruz by the Sea. And to see how the whole urban fabric comes together, you have to go up to the Tavira Tower, the highest point in the historic quarter.

To continue

We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia.

Cádiz is enough to fill a whole day, and these five sights can be explored on foot: the Pópulo and the theatre, the street corners with cannons, the Caleta and the cathedral are all in the old town.

To organise it: What to see in Cádiz in a day. And if you come in February, the Cádiz Carnival It’s something else.

Featuring Roman theatres: the Roman Theatre of Malaga It also appeared out of the blue, and it, too, lies beneath a living city.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Cádiz the oldest city in the Western world?

Because it was founded by the Phoenicians around 1100 BC under the name of Gadir, which means it has been continuously inhabited for over three thousand years, as evidenced by the archaeological remains found beneath the historic centre. This makes it the oldest urban settlement in Western Europe.

How was the Roman Theatre in Cádiz discovered?

By chance, in October 1980. A fire destroyed a group of houses in the Pópulo neighbourhood and, whilst clearing the rubble, workers came across curved walls of carved stone which turned out to be the cavea of a monumental theatre. It is regarded as one of the most important archaeological finds of the second half of the 20th century in Spain.

How many people could the Roman Theatre in Cádiz hold?

More than 10,000 spectators, according to Cádiz City Council and the Regional Government of Andalusia, with a cavea approximately 120 metres in diameter. A figure of 20,000 is also being quoted, but official sources cite the former. It is the oldest Roman theatre on the Iberian Peninsula and the second largest, after the one in Córdoba.

Is it free to visit the Roman Theatre in Cádiz?

Yes, entry is free, although capacity is limited to fifteen people at any one time for the safety of visitors and the buildings, so there may be a wait. It is closed on the first Monday of every month, and entry is not permitted in the fifteen minutes prior to closing time.

Why are there cannons on the street corners in Cádiz?

They were reused as corner protectors, that is, to shield the corners of houses from being scraped by carriages. They were not intended to defend anything from that position: they were disused artillery pieces, a legacy of the city’s status as a stronghold and military port during the Napoleonic siege and the era of the Cortes of 1812, which were buried upside down.

Which James Bond film was shot in Cádiz?

«Die Another Day» (2002), starring Pierce Brosnan, in which Cádiz stands in for Havana because the Cuban government did not grant filming permits. La Caleta beach and the La Palma seaside resort appear as the «Hotel Gran Palacio», the Campo del Sur stands in for the Malecón, and San Sebastián Castle is transformed into a clinic.