Saturday, July 19, 2014 –
Cadiz is the oldest city in Europe, founded in 1100 BC by Phoenicians. Columbus sailed from here on his second and fourth voyages and set up trading with the Americas that brought great wealth to the city. Cadiz sits on a thin peninsula surrounded by crowded sandy beaches. Older parts of the city have narrow winding streets connecting pedestrian only plazas with outdoor cafes. The Cathedral of Cadiz displays the Moorish style of architecture with hand painted tiles. Moorish (Muslim) paintings do not allow the display of humans or animals. Tiles are geometric patterns of color. The city was taken from the Muslims in 1262 by Alfonso X with renovations to the Cathedral after that time showing Christian scenes in paintings.