For a small city of just 130,000 people, connected to Spain by a slender isthmus, Cadiz has had a lot of history. Ancient sources say it’s the oldest city in the West, founded by the Phoenicians in 1100 BC. Certainly many civilizations have passed this way, taking advantage of the city’s strategic port and fertile hinterlands, from the sea-faring Phoenicians to the Romans, from the Arabs to the powers of Catholic Spain. Fascinating evidence of this history can be seen in the Museum of Cadiz, which houses everything from Phoenician sarcophagi to examples of the traditional puppet theatre of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The Museum of Cadiz
The Museum of Cadiz is a small, airy and well laid out museum in the heart of the old town. Formerly the convent of San Francisco, the building was remodelled in 1838 by the architect Juan Daura. The elegant neo-classical façade overlooks the Plaza de la Mina, at one time the convent’s vegetable garden. The Academy of Fine Arts allowed part of the building to become a museum in 1852, but it was the discovery of a Phoenician sarcophagus in 1887 that lead to the creation of the Archaeological Museum. The two museums – of Fine Arts and Archaeology - were amalgamated in 1970.
Archaeology at the Museum of Cadiz
The ground floor of the Museum of Cadiz is devoted to the archaeology of the region. Highlights of the collection include two Phoenician anthropoid sarcophagi (each carved from a single piece of marble), a bronze Hercules (who in the traditional ancient manner was merged with the Phoenician god Melkart), and a monumental statue of the Roman emperor Trajan who, like his successor Hadrian, was born here in the Roman province of Iberia.
Fine Art at the Museum of Cadiz
The first floor is devoted to Spanish fine art, from the sixteenth century through to the first half of the twentieth century. The museum’s collection charts the evolution of Spanish, with an emphasis on Andalusian, fine art, with the works of painters such as Francisco de Zurburan (1598-1664) and Antonio Carnicero (1748-1814).
Ethnography and Contemporary Art at the Museum of Cadiz
Focusing on the latter half of the twentieth century, the contemporary art collection on the second floor includes works by artists such as Miro and Rafael Alberti. The puppets of La Tia Norica can also be seen on the second floor, an example of the traditional puppet theatre of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Situated on the Plaza de Mina, in the old town, the Museum of Cadiz is free to enter. The museum is open from 14.30 to 20.30 (Tuesdays), 09.00 to 20.30 (Wednesday to Saturday) and 09.00 to 14.30 (Sundays). The Museum is closed on Mondays.
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