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The 18th century was C谩diz鈥檚 golden era鈥攍iterally. Gold from the Americas was flowing in, wigs were high, and civic pride was even higher. So naturally, the city decided it needed a cathedral that didn鈥檛 just rival Seville鈥檚鈥攊t had to outshine the Giralda, Seville's precious tower.

After the original architect stormed off in 1739, a tag-team of architects spanning nearly a century followed, each adding their own stylistic flair. The result was a cathedral that pirouettes from Baroque to Rococo to Neoclassical like it couldn鈥檛 make up its mind. Surprisingly or not, the cathedral ended up looking fabulous.

The layout follows the traditional cross shape, with three main aisles and a walkway that curves around the altar like a quiet loop. Rows of polished Corinthian columns hold up elegant vaulted ceilings, and there's a crypt downstairs big enough to make any vampire rethink retirement. The altar sits high and proud, commanding your gaze, while above it all, a dome crowns the space like a golden exclamation mark. And in the choir loft? Not one, but two powerful organs鈥攎ore than enough to fill the church (and your spine) with musical thunder.

Nevertheless, the main showpiece is the Clock Tower, also known as the Levante Tower. Standing at 184 feet tall, it鈥檚 your best bet for sweeping views of the El P贸pulo district, the Field of the South, and the harbor, with the Atlantic winking in the distance.

The Cathedral Square outside wasn鈥檛 always so open and grand鈥攊t was created during C谩diz鈥檚 1721 urban makeover, which included demolishing a few modest houses to make room for this dramatic entrance. The square runs along the seafront and is paved in white marble, because if you're going to build a cathedral this extra, your plaza needs to match.

Don't miss the Rose Arch, which once led to the old Tablas Square and now serves as a charming pass-through to the Town Castle. Within the square itself, you鈥檒l also find the Church of Santa Cruz (the old cathedral from 1669) and the Jesuit Church of Santiago, built in 1563 and still standing tall.

Saint John of God Square鈥攐r as locals call it, La Corredera鈥攊s C谩diz鈥檚 front porch, living room, and civic stage all rolled into one. Originally laid out in the 15th century, when Columbus was still just doodling ship ideas, the square was built just outside the old city walls. Back then, C谩diz was a cluster of sandy islands, and this area was a sea-splashed stretch of reclaimed land.

Entry came via the sea-facing gate, now charmingly known as the Arch of the People鈥攂ecause nothing says 鈥渄emocratic access鈥� like a once-fortified gateway.

By the 18th century, things were getting crowded, and the old Consistorial Houses鈥攅ssentially the city鈥檚 early bureaucratic digs鈥攚ere torn down to make way for something a bit grander. The current Town Hall took shape, with a Neoclassical heart and, in 1865, a bit of Gothic flair. Moreover, an Isabelline-style fa莽ade was added, topped with a pediment that features none other than Hercules, flexing his mythological credentials as the alleged founder of Gadeira鈥擟谩diz鈥檚 ancient alter ego.

And if that name sounds old, it should. By the time Hannibal showed up during the Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC), C谩diz was already centuries into its coastal career. As far as ancient cities go, C谩diz doesn鈥檛 just have history鈥攊t remembers it.

Today, the square is less about defending the harbor and more about sipping coffee under the palms while the Town Hall keeps an eye on things鈥攋ust as it鈥檚 done for generations.

Candelaria Square is one of C谩diz鈥檚 oldest gathering spots鈥攁nd it isn鈥檛 shy about showing its age in style. Its trapezoid shape already sets it apart, but what really charms visitors are the layers of greenery. On the outside edge, tall elms once ruled the scene, though these days they鈥檙e slowly giving way to hackberry trees. Step closer in, and a neat row of bitter orange trees perfumes the air each spring, filling the square with the unmistakable scent of orange blossoms.

The center is dotted with eye-catching tree specimens that create a leafy contrast against the 19th-century houses ringing the square. Most of these buildings lean into Romantic-era elegance, though a few show off their quirks. House No. 15, known as the Oviedo Asylum, shows off Elizabethan style, with columns and stone supports decorated with carved eagles. House No. 6, built in 1906, goes modern for its time, blending iron and glass with confidence.

Anchoring the square is its most distinct feature: a bronze statue of Emilio Castelar, the eloquent politician, journalist, historian鈥攁nd last president of Spain鈥檚 short-lived First Republic. Sculpted in 1906, Castelar still holds the floor from the center of the plaza, a reminder of C谩diz鈥檚 political and cultural ties.

Once part of the Monastery of La Candelaria, the site transformed after the monastery鈥檚 demolition into the spacious square we see today. Locals have been strolling here for generations, and visitors quickly catch on to its charms.

Flower Square does exactly what it seems like鈥攊t鈥檚 the spot in C谩diz where blossoms take center stage. The central stalls overflow with color, giving the square its perfume and energy. During Carnival, it cranks up even further, as street theaters and performances spill into the area, turning the whole square into one big stage.

But there鈥檚 more here than flowers and festivities. This space once belonged to the Convent of the Shoeless, which eventually gave way to something very different: the Post Office and Telegraph building, opened in 1930. Built of brick and dressed with shiny ceramic details, it鈥檚 a fine example of the eclectic regionalist (tile and decorative brickwork mix) style, standing out against the more traditional C谩diz architecture nearby.

The square also keeps its share of older treasures. Building No. 1, dating back to 1746, shows off a classic Baroque fa莽ade, with decorative pilasters that make the front look both grand and dramatic. Then there鈥檚 Building No. 12, designed by local architect Torcuato Benjumeda in a neat neoclassical style, with giant Doric pilasters that give it a strong, imposing look. Together, these buildings mix centuries of design into one compact plaza.

Flower Square may be known for its blooms, but it鈥檚 just as much about layers of history and a backdrop that blends Baroque curves, neoclassical order, and 20th-century flair. Stop by for the flowers, stay for the architecture, maybe you'll be lucky enough to catch the Carnival as well.

San Antonio Square has long been one of C谩diz鈥檚 beating hearts. Back in the day it was called the Field of Rockrose, but its fortunes changed in the 1600s when a small hermitage to Saint Antonio popped up鈥攁nd gave the square its current name. A nearby well kept C谩diz hydrated for years, making this more than just a meeting spot; it was survival central.

By the 18th century, the square had grown into a proper hub for trade, faith, and politics. It was here that Spain鈥檚 landmark Constitution of 1812 was proclaimed鈥攁nd, not so long after, where the liberal movement of 1820 met its violent end. In short, if C谩diz had breaking news, chances are it was announced鈥攐r crushed鈥攔ight here.

The architecture around the square keeps the drama going. The fa莽ades show a neat uniformity, except for the slimmer outline of the Church of Saint Antonio, which still draws the eye. The Gaditano Casino, an 18th-century Baroque beauty, was later remodeled during the reign of Queen Isabel II, giving it a 19th-century makeover that mixed Romantic and revival styles. Step inside and you鈥檒l also find Moorish-inspired decorations added in 1890.

Then there鈥檚 the old Aramburu Bank, sporting a white marble front from the 1700s but modernized with a splash of early 20th-century style. Add to that the House Museum of writer Jos茅 Mar铆a Pem谩n, once the home of C谩diz鈥檚 celebrated literary figure, and the square becomes part open-air gallery, part history book.

Today, San Antonio Square is more than a patch of paving stones鈥攊t鈥檚 where C谩diz layers faith, politics, and artistry into one lively setting. Sit at a caf茅, look up at the fa莽ades, and you鈥檙e not just in a square鈥攜ou鈥檙e sitting in the middle of four centuries of stories.

Step into Mina Square, and you鈥檙e stepping into a slice of 19th-century C谩diz that still knows how to charm. Once the property of the Catholic Church, the land was turned over to the public in the mid-1800s, complete with a monument to war hero Espoz y Mina. The monument eventually disappeared through later rebuilds, but the name and the spirit stuck.

The square is shaded by palms and other tall trees, making it a natural refuge when the Andalusian sun gets serious. Around its edges stand stately 19th-century buildings, reminders of a period when C谩diz was flexing both its cultural and architectural muscles. Look closely, and you鈥檒l spot the plaque marking the birthplace of composer Manuel de Falla, one of Spain鈥檚 most celebrated musical minds.

Dominating the eastern side is the Museum of C谩diz, where archaeology, ethnography, and fine art share the stage. Its prize pieces鈥攖he Phoenician sarcophagi鈥攃onnect today鈥檚 visitors with C谩diz鈥檚 deep ancient roots, while the galleries upstairs bring together Spanish painting and sculpture in ways that surprise as much as they educate.

Beyond the square itself, location is everything. Mina Square sits in the thick of downtown, only a short stroll from Plaza de Espa帽a, the Saint Francis Convent, and the port. Think of it as both a destination in its own right and a convenient launch pad for exploring the rest of the city.

With leafy paths, historic fa莽ades, and culture packed into every corner, Mina Square proves that even in a city famous for its beaches and plazas, there鈥檚 always room for another favorite.

Square of Spain is C谩diz鈥檚 mix of sunshine, history, and political drama鈥攂asically an outdoor living room with better architecture. Its centerpiece is a gleaming white monument to the Spanish Constitution of 1812, one of Europe鈥檚 first written constitutions and a big deal for C谩diz, which hosted its signing. The design is no slouch, representing two bronze horsemen symbolizing war and peace, plus a heroic Hercules, the city鈥檚 mythic mascot, keeping watch over it all.

But the monument isn鈥檛 the only show here. The Customs Palace, with its imposing neoclassical fa莽ade and heavy columns, still struts its stuff as the provincial government鈥檚 headquarters. Then there鈥檚 the House of the Five Towers鈥攍iterally five connected houses, each topped with its own little watchtower. Built in the late 1700s, it鈥檚 a textbook example of C谩diz architecture on the cusp of change, shifting from elaborate Baroque to the cleaner lines of Neoclassicism.

On the north side, the San Carlos neighborhood frames the square with elegant 18th-century homes, their fa莽ades reflecting the city鈥檚 golden age of trade and power. All of it sits around leafy parkland, where benches invite you to imagine what life looked like here two centuries ago.

The best part about the square is you don鈥檛 need a history degree to enjoy it鈥攋ust a good pair of sunglasses and maybe an ice cream in hand.