The Town of Sancti Petri is an old fishing village, currently abandoned, belonging to municipality of Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz). His name is in Latin and it means “of Saint Peter”, fishermen pattern. It is believed that in antiquity there was a sanctuary to Melkart in its surroundings, Which was visited by Julius Caesar himself. Some think that the temple of Melkart it was on the islet where the castle is currently.
Phoenician settlement in ancient times on whose shore the temple of Melkart was erected (God of Trade) and later on its ruins the Temple of Hercules Gaditano (Hey Castle of Sancti Petri, ruined fortress, currently restored).
In 1959, the consortium Nacional Almadrabero acquires the land for 225.000 pesetas starting a buoyant fishing activity that would make in the years 1946-1947 settlement of fishermen around the almadrabera industry, would become district of Chiclana de la Frontera with a part of stable population and another seasonal part during the five months of the tuna season that came from towns in Cádiz and nearby provinces such as Huelva, Malaga and Almeria. The town even had a Neighborhood Mayor dependent on the City Council from Chiclana de la Frontera.
in the middle of the years 70 tuna fishing became scarce and finally the Almadrabero National Consortium, that closes its doors in 1973, being the land acquired by the company Sancti Petri S.A. by 85 millions of pesetas. No specific activity in this period, the town is gradually abandoned by its inhabitants until in 1979 the Ministry of Defense expropriate the land for 158 million pesetas, remaining under his ownership until the year 1993.
During the years in which was owned by Defense, the town looked spooky as well as beautiful and nostalgic for those who once inhabited their houses. Many of those who were his neighbors still have the key to his House, despite the fact that during the abandonment the buildings were collapsing.
After the disaffection of the land expropriated from the company Sancti Petri S.A.. of the public purpose of military use by the Ministry of Defense, a complicated process began court in which the former owners claimed ownership of the grounds. In 1997, Costas authorizes the demarcation of the maritime public domain land. In 1999, the City Council proposes to Costas the creation of a consortium with the Board for the management of the town. In 2001, the then Public Company of Andalusian Ports (today Public Agency of Ports of Andalusia – APPA) presents a Plan of Uses where the ends are discarded real estate. Today, remains waiting for the land to pass to property of the APPA to begin with the rehabilitation of the town, at the time that have established hospitality businesses and the Sancti Marina Petri.
