Habsburg and Bourbon Spain

Vigo

Today: Spain

Years: 1492–1833
Role: Port town walled in 1665

Vigo grew in the early modern period amid privateer attacks: its shipowners repelled the English fleet under Drake in 1589 (he had already attacked in 1585), and in 1665, during the war with Portugal, a wall was built with the castle of San Sebastián and the Castro fortress. The ría was the scene of the battle of Rande in 1702, and from 1778, when Carlos III broke the monopoly of the ports allowed to trade with America, maritime traffic towards America began to benefit it. In 1809 the townspeople drove out the French troops.

What to see today

Concatedral de Santa María de Vigo (Colegiata de Santa María): Cathedral, 1816 to 1838
Fortaleza del Castro: Fort, 1665 to 1667
Castillo de San Sebastián: Castle, 1656 to 1667

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