Cape Trafalgar

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This article is about a geographic region in Spain. For the German ship of the same name, see SMS Cap Trafalgar.
Cape Trafalgar
Cabo de Trafalgar
Spain Cabo Trafalgar.jpg
Cape Trafalgar lighthouse
Map showing the location of Cape Trafalgar
Map showing the location of Cape Trafalgar
Location in Andalusia
Coordinates36°11′N 6°2′W / 36.183°N 6.033°W / 36.183; -6.033Coordinates: 36°11′N 6°2′W / 36.183°N 6.033°W / 36.183; -6.033

Cape Trafalgar (/trəˈfælɡər/;[1] Spanish: Cabo Trafalgar [ˈkaβo tɾafalˈɣaɾ]) is a headland in the Province of Cádiz in the southwest of Spain. The 1805 naval Battle of Trafalgar, in which the Royal Navy commanded by Admiral Horatio Nelson decisively defeated Napoleon's combined Spanish and French fleet, took place just off the cape.

Cape Trafalgar lies on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the Strait of Gibraltar. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the western limit of the strait and the Mediterranean Sea as a line that joins Cape Trafalgar to the north with Cape Spartel to the south.

Aerial view of Cape Trafalgar and the surrounding area (north to the right)

The most prominent structure on the cape is a 34-metre-high (112 ft) lighthouse (totaling 51 metres or 167 feet above sea level), the faro de Cabo Trafalgar, which was first illuminated on 15 July 1862.[2]

Etymology[]

The name is of Arabic origin, deriving either from Taraf al-Ghar (طرف الغار 'cape of the cave/laurel'),[3][4][5] or from Taraf al-Gharb (طرف الغرب 'cape of the west').[6][5] In both cases, taraf (طرف) means 'edge' or 'extremity' and refers to a promontory.[citation needed] In modern Arabic, however, the place is sometimes re-transcribed as al-Taraf al-Aghar (الطرف الأغر).[7]

Archaeology[]

In May 2021, 2,000-year-old Roman baths emerged from the sand dunes of Cape Trafalgar, including entire walls, windows and doors.[8]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Trafalgar". Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
  2. ^ "Trafalgar Lighthouse". Wanders. 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  3. ^ A page of a professor of the Facultad de Filología of the Universidad de Salamanca
  4. ^ Entry algar, in DRAE dictionary
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Richard Burton, The Arabian Nights (vol. 9)'s footnote 82
  6. ^ Prof. Joseph E. Garreau, A Cultural Introduction to the Languages of Europe
  7. ^ Etymology and Meaning of Trafalgar
  8. ^ "Roman baths emerge from sand dunes of southern Spain". La Prensa Latina. 17 May 2021.

External links[]


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