Another buildings

The urban development of the city of Huelva as we know it today started in the thirteenth century with some defined borders – from the present Italia Avenue and Alemania Avenue to the Graveyard of San Sebastián and the Bullring. The generating core of this city was the castle – today missing – over the hill known as ‘Cabezo de San Pedro’. The second urban development of Huelva which can be pointed out was carried out in 1870. Thus, it was a pre-industrial development – the city suffer a both lineal and fan-shaped expansion, looking for the lowest terrain such as the marshes. Now we must point out the British presence and the acquisition of the mines for a new transformation in the city, which caused new problems related to urban development.

• The creation of a railway line for transporting minerals from the mountains, which prevented the city from expanding to the marshes.

• Another obstacle was the orography of the city itself – the hills and the marshes together with private properties impeded a sustainable development.

• Another element was the necessity of achieving building lands as there was a big demand from immigrants from border provinces and even from Huelva itself – they needed them to participate as manpower in the mining sector.

The first urban development project for the city of Huelva, which was planned in the 1920s by architect José María Pérez Carasa, could not be carried out, unlike some isolated projects to pave already existing streets and build new ones which did were achieved, such as the construction of the Martín Alonso Pinzón Avenue, which joined the Plaza del Punto Square with the Plaza de las Monjas Square. Nevertheless, these public works were just isolated activities which were far from being a fully joint project for Huelva. It was then when the most outstanding examples of public and domestic architecture in Huelva were built. The most remarkable ones will be described below. In 1964, the Polo de Promoción Industrial – a demarcated area for the industrial development of Huelva – was settled as the Plan General de Ordenación Urbana (‘General Project for Urban Development’), the first official municipal document related to urban development written by architect Alejandro Herrero, was approved. By that time, Huelva had a population of barely 73,000 inhabitants living in several areas which had been irregularly expanding and developing, such as the new districts of La Orden, Príncipe Juan Carlos, Santa Marta, El Torrejón, La Hispanidad, El Polígono de San Sebastián, Verdeluz, El Carmen, Pérez Cubillas, Los Rosales, and some others of lesser importance. As these new districts were settled, the houses in the city centre and the surroundings of the stadium were renovated. In 1975, the Nueva Ley del Suelo (‘New Law for Building Lands’) was passed, and the City Council of Huelva decided to revise the urban development project – which was not definitely passed until 1980 – after the flagrant non-compliance with the Project of 1964. Nevertheless, an economic crisis between 1970 and 1985 would paralyze this new law together with the current one – none of them can be modified.

Antigua Clínica Vázquez Limón (‘Former Vázquez Limón Clinic’)

Constructed at the beginning of the 20th century in eclectic style, you can find it in La Fuente Street.

Antonio Checa House

Built in 1904 by architect Francisco Monís Morales, this neoclassical building is located in Puerto Street. Today the building is the Headquarters of the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) of Huelva.

Casa del Millón (‘House of the Million’)

This eclectic building was designed and built in 1916 in Puerto Street by architects Gonzalo Aguado and José María Pérez Carasa.

Antiguo Comercial (‘Former Commercial House’)

José María Pérez Carasa constructed this Neo-Mudejar building between 1921 and 1922. It used to be a meeting point for the industrial and economic elite of the city. You can find it in Jesús Nazareno Street.

Antigua Clínica Sanz de Frutos (‘Former Sanz de Frutos Clinic’)

Architect Francisco Hernández-Rubio built this former clinic in 1910 in Art-Deco style. The building is located in Rico Street and used to be the local Conservatoire.

Colegio Oficial de Aparejadores y Arquitectos Técnicos de Huelva (‘Official Association of Master-Builders and Technical Architects of Huelva’)

Built by Francisco Monís Morales in Art-Deco style, it has grilled windows forged by Thomas Morrison. The building, which is located in Vázquez López Street, was restored in 2007.

Casa de las Conchas (‘House of the Shells’)

This Neo-Renaissance house was built at the beginning of the 20th century in Vázquez López Street by José María Pérez Carasa. It was used as a clinic in the past.

Palace of the Duke and Duchess of Medina Sidonia

This eighteenth-century, neoclassical palace used to occupy the whole block of Palacio Street. Its stables pointed to the Plaza de las Monjas Square.

Antiguo Hotel París (‘Former Paris Hotel’)

Francisco Monís Morales built this former hotel in 1907 in Art-Deco style. The building has grilled windows forged by Thomas Morrison. Today it is known as the ‘Casa de la Bola’ (‘House of the Ball’) because of its domed tower.