Castle of San Sebastián (Cádiz)

The Castle of San Sebastián (Spanish: Castillo de San Sebastián) is a fortress located in Cádiz, Spain, at the end of La Caleta beach on a small island separated from the main city. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1993.^{[citation needed]}

For the castle in San Sebastian, Spain, see Castle of La Mota (San Sebastian).

Castle of San Sebastián
Native name Castillo de San Sebastián (Spanish)
Location	Cádiz, Spain
Coordinates	36.528106°N 6.315614°W / 36.528106; -6.315614
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Official name	Castillo de San Sebastián
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	1993
Reference no.	RI-51-0007575
Location of Castle of San Sebastián in Spain

History

View of Castle of San Sebastian in 2025

According to the classical tradition of the location of the fortress, there was a Temple of Kronos, a Titan of the Greek gods, the father of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera.

In 1457, a chapel on the island was raised by a Venetian boat crew recovering from the plague.

In 1706, a castle was constructed, which resulted in a fortified enclosure of an irregular plane. It defended the northern flank of the city from attack. At the base of the lighthouse was a watchtower from the Muslim period.

In 1811, the Maltese navy arrived with the famous POW/rebel Junta of Buenos Aires, Juan Bautista Azopardo. He was housed in the fortress until 1815, when they suspected a leak and transferred him to the military prison in Ceuta.

In 1860, a levee was built to serve as a link between the island and the city.

The lighthouse has an iron structure designed by Rafael de la Cerda in 1908 and is the second electric-powered lighthouse in Spain. The tower rises to 41 meters above the sea.

The Castillo de San Sebastian was declared a cultural landmark in 1985.