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La Rábida
Opposite Punta del Sebo, where the monumento a la Fe descubridora (Monument
to discovering Faith) is found, stands La Rábida, a modest 15th
century Franciscan convent, built on the site of the original Almohad
building of La Rábita.
Considered to be the greatest symbol of the discovery of The New World,
within the walls of the convent a depressed Christopher Columbus awaited
the removal of the various impediments to the royal designation of his
captaincy of the journey to the West Indies.
The simple beauty of the building's pre-Columbian structure can still
be seen inside, along with a number of frescos of the Huelva painter Vázquez
Díaz celebrating the Discovery.
The Gothic-Mudéjar church contains a 15th century crucifix, texts by Martín
Alonso Pinsón, some of Columbus' personal belongings, as well as
the Celda de las Conferencias (The Conference Cell), witness to the interviews
Columbus held with the friars of the convent, forming the link of La Rábida
with the Discovery.
The convent is surrounded by beautiful gardens which contain La Columna
de los Descubridores (The Column of the Discoverers), which commemorates
the Fourth Centenary of the Discovery.
An interesting journey can be completed by visiting the monument to Plus
Ultra, next to the Muelle de la Reina (The Queen's Dock), commemorating
the first Atlantic flight, as well as la Universidad Iberoamericana, or
the new site where reproductions of the three caravelles which completed
the first crossing can be found.
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