Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous Spanish city located in North Africa, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea on the northern border with Morocco. It extends over an area of 24 km2. A city with a unique personality, where Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus coexist, forming important communities. According to Greek mythology, Africa and Europe were linked by a mountain range, until Hercules, in his fight with Antaeus, struck with his mace and opened a gap known today as the Strait of Gibraltar. A city with beautiful urban beaches, a fabulous natural environment for active tourism, a gastronomic offer with a great variety of dishes, favored by its proximity to the sea and a great monumental and cultural attraction.
What to see in Ceuta?
Los Hércules
The 2 immense Hercules of Ceuta are made of bronze, are 7 meters high and weigh 4 tons each. They are currently the largest bronze sculptures of classical mythology in the world. One is located at the mouth of the port and the other in the Plaza de la Constitución, both dominating the waters of the Strait. Due to their size and grandeur, these sculptures impress the visitor who arrives in Ceuta by boat or when walking through its streets.
Pedro de Meneses Statue
The sculpture of the first governor of Ceuta is located on the Paseo de la Marina Española. Made of patinated bronze, with glass elements, it represents Pedro de Meneses seated carrying a child on his knees and a cane in his hands known by the name “Aleo”, which is the symbol of power with which they celebrate. I relieve the military authorities who take command of the Plaza de Ceuta.
Sculpture of Henry the Navigator
This bronze sculpture is located in the rotunda of the Puente del Cristo and was inaugurated in 2006. The Infante of Portugal Enrique de Avis y Lancaster, better known as Enrique the Navigator, was the most important figure at the beginning of the era of the Discoveries. He convinced his father John I to conquer Ceuta, the city was taken in August 1415. His last expedition culminated in the discovery in 1456 of the Cape Verde Islands and the Senegal River.
Monument to Holy Week Ceutí
This bronze sculpture set, 3 meters high and almost 500 kilos in weight, inaugurated in 2009 and representative of Holy Week Ceutí, is located in the Plaza de los Reyes next to the church of San Francisco. The baroque style image represents a penitent shaking hands with his young son, symbolizing the passing of the witness to youth.
Ceuta Maritime Park
This complex of artificial lakes and gardens, located on the edge of the sea, occupies an area of 57,000 m2 and was designed by the brilliant artist César Manrique. Opened in 1995, it constitutes a fun center in the heart of Ceuta, equipped with all kinds of services, gardens, solariums, bars, restaurants and cafes. It consists of 3 large saltwater lakes suitable for bathing during the summer season, surrounded by lush vegetation and a stone castle inside which is the Gran Casino de Ceuta.
Monumental Complex of the Royal Walls
They are the most representative monument of Ceuta. The walls and the moat were built to protect the isthmus and the Almina peninsula, where the ancient city was located. The complex consists of several defensive lines composed of bastions, crenellated walls, bastions, Plaza de Armas and a 300-meter-long navigable saltwater moat. They were declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1985.
Caliphate Gate
It was the main access gate to the Islamic medina protected by the walls of the Umayyads of the 10th century. It is 4 meters wide, has a horseshoe arch framed in a bishop and a double bend behind which a room is located domed The complex is made up of 3 doors, 3 vaults, 2 towers and wall sections. The entire visitable space is in an excellent state of conservation and has 2,000 years of history as it has archaeological remains from Roman times to modern and contemporary times.
Mount Hacho Fortress
Located 190 meters high on the mountain of the same name, it is a constant visual reference for the people of Ceuta because its walls can be seen from practically any point in the city and also from the sea. Dating from the 18th century, it has the shape of an irregular hexagon, a perimeter of 1,550 meters, an area of 108,291 m2 and in some sections, the walls are up to 26 meters high. For many years it was the Ceuta prison. It currently houses an anti-aircraft artillery barracks.
House of Dragons
This house receives its name from the large mythological sculptures that adorn its roof. It is a historicist 3-story building that was the headquarters of the African Casino, crowned by 4 dragons with open wings, large in size and weighing approximately 150 kilos each.
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