Isla del Trocadero (tr. "trader's island") is an island in the

Bay of Cádiz The Bay of Cádiz is a body of water in the province of Cádiz, Spain, adjacent to the southwestern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The Bay of Cádiz adjoins the Gulf of Cádiz, a larger body of water which is in the same area but further offsho ...

, in

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Situation

The island has an area of 5.25 km² and lies in the southern part of the Bay of Cádiz, southwest of

Puerto Real Puerto Real () is a seaport in Andalusia, in the province of Cádiz. , it had a population of 40,667. The town is located on the northern shore of the inner lobe of the Bay of Cádiz, on the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Portus Gadit ...

village. The north of the island is crossed by Spanish national highway N443, which goes from Puerto Real to

Cádiz Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...

. The industrial area Polígono El Trocadero and the ramp in the national highway named El Trocadero refer to the direct proximity of the island.

Protected area

The Isla del Trocadero belongs to large protected area and a natural park ( Parque Natural de la Bahía de Cádiz), with an extension of 100 km². The area is an important wetland biotope and landing zone for migratory birds.

Access to the island

The island can be accessed by the ports of Puerto Real and Matagorda. It is particularly interesting for

bird watching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...

History

The island has been an important commercial traffic point for a long time, hence its name It was also used to repair ships. The San Luis Fort, in the Southern tip of the island, was used as part of the defences of the

. The fort, currently in ruins, was captured by French troops during the

Battle of Trocadero The Battle of Trocadero, fought on 31 August 1823, was the only significant battle in the French invasion of Spain in support of King Ferdinand VII. French forces defeated the Spanish liberal forces and restored the absolute rule of Ferdinand. ...

, on August 31, 1823. This lends name to the

Trocadéro The Trocadéro (), site of the Palais de Chaillot, is an area of Paris, France, in the 16th arrondissement, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. It is also the name of the 1878 palace which was demolished in 1937 to make way for the Palais ...

area in the

16th arrondissement of Paris The 16th arrondissement of Paris (''XVIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''seizième''. The arrondissement includes part of the Arc de T ...

, which featured the

Palais du Trocadéro Palais () may refer to: * Dance hall, popularly a ''palais de danse'', in the 1950s and 1960s in the UK * ''Palais'', French for palace **Grand Palais, the Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées **Petit Palais, an art museum in Paris * Palais River in t ...

in the 19th century, and in celebration of which the

London Trocadero The London Trocadero was an entertainment complex on Coventry Street, with a rear entrance in Shaftesbury Avenue, London. It was originally built in 1896 as a restaurant, which closed in 1965. In 1984, the complex reopened as an exhibition and en ...

was named a few years later. {{Coord, 36, 31, N, 6, 13, W, type:isle, display=title Trocadero Geography of the Province of Cádiz Protected areas of Andalusia Landforms of Andalusia