Huelva

Sister cities

• Houston
• Cádiz
• Faro

History

At least up to the 1980s and 1990s, the mainstream historians' view was that Huelva began as an autochthonous Tartessian settlement (possibly the very same Tartessos mentioned in Greek sources); later opinions have held that it was a multi-ethnic enclave, mixing natives with peoples with a mainly Phoenician, and later Greek, extraction. However, following the finding of Phoenician archaeological materials in the Méndez Núñez-Las Monjas site, the chronology as to the Phoenician presence was reassessed. The evidence favours solely viewing Huelva-Onoba as a very early Phoenician colony, a development which was parallel to a certain "dismantling" of the idea of Tartessos as a mainly autochthonous archaeological culture, even though the tentative identification of Huelva with Tartessos was not discarded, but rather kept. Tartessos has also been identified with the biblical Tarshish. First contacts with the local Phoenician presence have been hypothesised to have taken place as early as 1015 to 975 BCE. However, remains such as those found in the Méndez Núñez-Las Monjas go so far as to show a likely Phoenician settlement of the 9th century BCE, especially to resemble a founding date of a Tyrian settlement from the reign of Ithobaal I between 875 and 850, although the Méndez Núñez-Las Monjas' archaeological finds have been brought forward as evidence of a 10th-century BCE founding chronology in the era of Hiram I (c. 975–950). The outpost was presumably populated mainly by continental Phoenicians, with some possible addition of the likes of Eteocypriots, Cypriot Phoenicians and Sardinian Phoenicians. As a Phoenician outpost, it facilitated local exports such as silver, copper, purple dye and salted fish, while it also served as node in the trade routes connecting the…

Geography

Huelva is in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in the Gulf of Cádiz, facing the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline straddling along the Gulf of Cádiz is known as Costa de la Luz. The city lies next to the estuary formed by the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto, sandwiched in between both rivers. A rather wide estuary in ancient times, the estuary of Huelva progressively silted up to a large extent. Huelva and its metropolitan area experience a Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa), characterized by mild, wet winters and long, hot, dry summers. The average annual temperature is approximately 18.1°C (64.6°F), with average highs reaching 25.5°C (77.9°F) in August and lows of 11.4°C (52.5°F) in January. Annual precipitation is around per year, typically spread across 53 rainy days, with December being the wettest month. Extreme temperatures have included a high of 43.9°C (111.0°F) recorded on 25 July 2022 and a low of -3.2°C (29°F) recorded in January. While Huelva experiences milder conditions near the coastline, its location near the river delta slightly amplifies summer warmth. Snowfall is an extremely rare phenomenon in the city of Huelva. The most significant snowfalls recorded occurred in February 1954 and January 1991, with snow depths reaching up to 10 cm (4 in) and 15 cm (6 in), respectively, causing notable disruptions due to the region's lack of preparedness for such events. Huelva's climate is further influenced by being on the Atlantic Ocean, which moderates temperatures, particularly in coastal areas. The Sierra de Huelva's unique microclimate also contributes to its occasional snowfalls yearly, making it a distinct feature compared to the otherwise temperate lowlands.

Most-observed species

• Yellow-legged Gull

  Larus michahellis J.F.Naumann, 1840 · Aves
  3,348
• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,108
• Sardinian Warbler

  Curruca melanocephala (J.F.Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  2,972
• Little Egret/Western Reef-Heron

  Egretta garzetta (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,940
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,606
• Lesser Black-backed Gull

  Larus fuscus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,436
• Common Redshank

  Tringa totanus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,401
• Eurasian Spoonbill

  Platalea leucorodia Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,249