Witnessed the discovery of the New World of America

Andalusia Tour ~ Huelva (Region) Located at the mouth of the Odile River, Huelva is an Andalusian city with an ancient mining tradition and a witness to an event as important as the discovery of America. More than 2,500 years ago, Huelva - Andalusia's westernmost capital - was the center of the Tartesan civilization and an important commercial enclave that maintained intensive trade with other ports in the eastern Mediterranean. Centuries later, it became a base for the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans, although the latter began to exploit the vast mineral wealth of the area, an activity that continued for several centuries. With the Roman presence in the area, the city known as Onuba Estria, located in the Beturia region, became so important that it even minted its own coins. In the Visigothic period the neighboring town of Niebla (Elepla) was of great civil and military importance in the county and even became a bishopric. The arrival of the Arabs in Huelva around 713 marked a new era for the city, which would later become known as Welba. During this new period, the city briefly became the independent Taifa Kingdom under the Bekris dynasty. However, it was not until the second half of the 13th century that Huelva and its surroundings were conquered by the Christian King Alfonso Sabio (the Wise). In the middle of the 15th century, the entire region came under the Duchy of Medina-Sidonia, a position that lasted until the middle of the 19th century. But without a doubt, the historical event that left the most profound mark on the people of Huelva was the discovery of America, from these lands Christopher Columbus in 1492 began his first voyage to the New World. At the monastery of La Rabida, a few kilometers from Huelva, Friars Juan Pérez and Antonio de Marchena publicized Columbus's plans for the voyage, and Columbus stayed there until just before departure. To commemorate this period, in 1929 the Fe Descubridora monument, one of the symbols of the city, was erected in Punta del Sebo. This large sculpture, the work of the American sculptor Whitney, is a tribute to the figure of Columbus and the important role played by the province of Huelva in the discovery of America. #2024TravelReview #SpainTravel #Andalucia