4-501: The Islote de Sancti Petri is a small barren island belonging to the municipality of San Fernando, Cádiz in the province of Cádiz and the autonomous region of Andalusia , Spain . It is close to the coast and 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of Cadiz city. For many years, the island was a restricted military zone, but it is now under the control of the Spanish Environment Ministry. In the first century BC,
8-562: The Greek historian Strabo mentioned in his book Geographica that the Tyrians founded Gadeira, building a sanctuary to Melkart , known as Hercules to the Greeks, in the eastern part of the island and the city in the western part. The ruins of an eighteenth-century castle remain on the island; the tower of the castle has been substantially rebuilt, and it is now in use as a lighthouse. It
12-639: The name " La Isla " (The Island). The people from San Fernando are locally known as " Cañaíllas " or " Isleños ". In history, the city played a paramount role when in 1810 during the French occupation led by Napoleon , San Fernando and Cádiz were the only parts of Spain which did not surrender to the French. The deputies elected to the Cortes of Cádiz met in the Teatro Cómico , and started preparation of
16-470: Was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1993. The name, Sancti Petri, also applies to the beach on the mainland, in Chiclana de la Frontera , directly opposite the island. San Fernando, C%C3%A1diz San Fernando ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsaɱ feɾˈnando] , "Saint Ferdinand") is a town in the province of Cádiz , Spain. It is home to more than 97,500 inhabitants. The city also uses
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