Village
Rota is a seafaring town on the Costa Noroeste of Cádiz, of Phoenician origin, by the Bay of Cádiz, on the Atlantic coast, halfway between Portugal and Gibraltar. Brought under the Crown of Castile in 1248 after the conquest of Seville, it had previously been called Ribat Ruta by the Muslims, a place of pilgrimage for the faithful of al-Andalus via the Vía Augusta. It now has close to 29,300 inhabitants across 84 km², and borders Chipiona, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María. It is a tourist town, a holiday destination for Europeans, while in the low season its main activity is fishing. Since 1953-1955 it has hosted, almost enclosed within its municipal area, the Rota Naval Base, a Spanish-American installation that has shaped its economy and demographics.
Monument
The Castillo de Luna is a fortress built around 1295-1297 by Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán ('Guzmán el Bueno') after receiving the lordship of Rota from Sancho IV, and later belonged to the House of Arcos, jurisdictional lords of Rota for centuries; it owes its name to the marriage of Pedro Ponce de León, first-born son and heir of the 1st Marquis of Cádiz, to a daughter of Álvaro de Luna, the same origin that gives its name to the Castillo de Luna de Mairena del Alcor. Like all Spanish castles, it is protected generically by the Decree of 22 April 1949 and Law 16/1985, which grants it the status of Bien de Interés Cultural (Spain's highest level of heritage protection) with the category of monument. Restored, it is today the seat of the Rota Town Council, which has owned it since 20 March 1999.
Monument
The Iglesia Mayor Parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la O, in Rota (Cádiz), is a temple built in the 16th century in Gothic-Renaissance style, with mostly Baroque furnishings, declared a Bien de Interés Cultural with the category of monument in 2002. It was built under the patronage of Rodrigo Ponce de León, 1st Duke of Arcos and lord of Rota, in Isabelline Gothic style with hints of Plateresque; the apse was closed in 1537. The bell tower, from the 17th century and rebuilt in 1744, is topped by a spire of two-tone tiles from the Triana workshop of Diego Gaytán. In the main chapel a cedar and mahogany choir from 1733-1736 is preserved, with 33 seats decorated with figures of apostles and saints.
Historical milestone
Isabella and Ferdinand visited Rota on 6 and 7 October 1477, during their travels along the Cádiz coast following the area's annexation to the Crown.
Nature
Los Corrales de Rota is a system of stone fish traps of Roman origin located on the coast of Rota (Cádiz), traditionally used by fishermen according to the rhythm of the tides. They have been declared a natural monument of Andalusia by the Junta de Andalucía, and in 2014 their partial use was reopened after years of neglect.
Food and drink
Urta a la roteña is a stew typical of Rota (Cádiz) made with urta, a fish native to the coast of Cádiz, and vegetables, mainly tomato, as well as pepper and wine. The dish was created in the early 20th century: according to Rota's official chronicler, José Antonio Martínez Ramos, urta had until then been a poorly regarded fish eaten only by fishermen and modest tables. The first cook to serve it to customers was Alonso Camacho, a native of Rota who worked at the Miramar restaurant, next to the town's harbour; from there the recipe soon spread throughout Andalusia. Today it gives its name to a local food festival held in Rota every August.
Food and drink
Tintilla de Rota is a sweet red wine made from ripe grapes of the tintilla variety —a synonym for graciano—, of a very dark colour between deep red and violet, full-bodied with sweet and bitter nuances. A traditional crop of the vineyards of Rota, it came close to disappearing in the 20th century and today is gradually being revived to make red wines of the Tierra de Cádiz, either alone or blended with other varieties. Its stocks are limited, but it can easily be found in the wineries and taverns of Rota; for some years now the association T de Tintilla has been working on its preservation and promotion.
Monument
A 17th-century tower in Rota, with a square floor plan topped by an octagonal body and covered in blue and white tilework. It had to be rebuilt after the 1722 storm, which seriously damaged it.
Monument
An oval-shaped walled precinct that protected the old town of Rota, with four historic gates whose names are preserved: Puerta de Regla, Puerta de Jerez, Puerta del Mar and Puerta de Sanlúcar.
Nature
The pine forests and dune systems of Rota's municipal term, with stone pine and white broom, hold Spain's largest population of the common chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon), a species listed as vulnerable and recovering thanks to conservation programs.
Food and drink
A local variant of gazpacho, thicker, made with tomato, bread, garlic and oil, typical of Rota's seafaring cuisine.
Food and drink
Traditional dishes of Rota's cuisine: berza, a humble-origin stew with vegetables and legumes, and atún encebollado, a fish preparation with onion typical of the village's seafaring tradition.
Historical milestone
In 1217, during the Fifth Crusade, a fleet of Frisian crusaders passing through on their way to the Holy Land sacked the then-Muslim town of Rota before continuing their journey.
Historical milestone
Rota suffered several attacks by Barbary corsairs during the 16th century, documented in 1559, 1562 and 1572, as well as outbreaks of plague in 1522, 1569 and 1680 that decimated its population.
Historical milestone
During the First Republic, Rota declared itself an independent canton between 22 July and 3 August 1873, joining the cantonalist movement that Cádiz also took part in.
Historical milestone
The establishment of the Rota Naval Base in 1955, the result of Spanish-American agreements, completely transformed the economy and society of the municipality, to the point that the province's first pizzerias arrived courtesy of the American personnel stationed there.