Doña Blanca Archaeological Site

In the district of El Puerto de Santa María, the Doña Blanca Archaeological Site is located on a flat, almost rectangular hilltop reached by the sea during the time of the first occupations by human beings. The oldest remains date back to the late Copper Age, and correspond to a series of scattered cabin bases. After being abandoned for a time, the first wall was built in the first half of the 8th century B.C.

It was occupied until the Second Punic War, the end of the 3rd Century B.C., during which time the city underwent several urban renewals and two further walls were built. It was then abandoned once again until the Medieval Moorish Era, when a small Almohad rural settlement was established. Later, in the 16th century, a Greek-cross plan chapel was raised, which is the tower that is still preserved and popularly called the Torre or Castillo de Doña Blanca, since popular tradition identifies this as the place where Doña Blanca de Borbón, wife of Pedro I suffered imprisonment.

It is essential for research on the Phoenician presence in Cadiz and it is magnificently well preserved.