Algeciras, Port city in Cádiz Province, Spain
Algeciras is a port city in Cádiz Province in southern Spain, stretching along the Bay of Gibraltar and crossed by the Río de la Miel river. The port is one of the largest container ports in Europe and offers regular ferry services to North Africa, while the old town gathers around the Plaza Alta in the center.
Moorish troops founded the city in 713, named it Al-Jazīrah al-Khaḍrāʾ and used it as a port for the crossing to North Africa. Alfonso XI captured it in 1344, but in 1704 Spanish refugees from Gibraltar had to rebuild the city and gave it its present face.
The name comes from the Arabic term Al-Jazīrah al-Khaḍrāʾ, meaning the green island, a reminder of the Moorish past of this port city. Today the Fandango de Algeciras, a special form of flamenco, plays a central role in cultural life and is performed in local tabancos and at festivals.
The coast stretches for 23 kilometers and connects several beaches such as El Rinconcillo, San García and Getares with the port, through which numerous cargo ships and ferries pass daily. Visitors should note that the port is a busy quarter, while the beaches to the west offer quieter areas.
Parts of Los Alcornocales Natural Park lie within the city limits and offer hiking trails through cork oak forests that reach down to the sea. The Municipal Museum displays exhibits on maritime history and preserves finds from the Moorish and Roman periods.
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