Cádiz (
Spanish pronunciation&_160;[ˈkaðiθ]&_160; (
listen)) is a city and port in southwestern
Spain. It is the capital of the
Cádiz Province, one of eight which make up the
autonomous community of
Andalusia.
Cádiz, the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the Iberian Peninsula and possibly of all southwestern Europe,[1] has been a principal home port of the Spanish Navy since the accession of the Spanish Bourbons in the 18th century. It is also the site of the University of Cádiz.
Despite its unique site—on a narrow spit of land hemmed in by the sea—Cádiz is, in most respects, a typically Andalusian city with a wealth of attractive vistas and well-preserved historical landmarks. The older part of Cádiz, within the remnants of the city walls, is commonly referred to as the Old City (in Spanish, Casco Antiguo). It is characterized by the antiquity of its various quarters (barrios), among them El Populo, La Viña, and Santa Maria, which present a marked contrast to the newer areas of town. While the Old City's street plan consists largely of narrow winding alleys connecting large plazas, newer areas of Cádiz typically have wide avenues and more modern buildings. In addition, the city is dotted by numerous parks where exotic plants, including giant trees supposedly brought to Spain by Columbus, flourish.
Later, the city became known by a similar Attic Greek name, Gádeira, τὰ Γάδειρα. In Ionic Greek, the name is spelled slightly differently, Gẽdeira Γήδειρα. This spelling appears in the histories written by Herodotus. Rarely, the name is spelled Gadeíra ἡ Γαδείρα, as, for example, in the writings of Erastosthenes (as attested by Stephanus of Byzantium).
