Tourist Attractions in Huelva

Huelva, chief town of its province, lies near the Atlantic coast of Andalusia (the Costa de la Luz) on the left bank of the Río Odiel, here 4km/2.5mi wide and navigable by ocean going vessels. A town on this site was known to the Romans as Onuba, and some scholars believe that it was the legendary ancient city of Tartessus (Tarshish). The commercial harbor of Huelva is one of the leading ports in Spain in terms of traffic handled, mainly due to the shipment of ore from the Río Tinto and Tharsis. The tunny and sardine fisheries and the associated fish canning industry also make important contributions to the town's economy. The establishment of oil refineries and other petro-chemical industries, with a consequent uncontrolled building boom, has led to a dramatic deterioration in the local environment.

The effects of the Lisbon earthquake of November 1, 1755 were felt as far away as Huelva, and much of the town was destroyed, leaving it with little in the way of historic buildings. Of the older buildings that survived the earthquake only a few churches are of any note.