{"id":24961,"date":"2023-12-29T10:41:13","date_gmt":"2023-12-29T09:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/?p=24961"},"modified":"2023-12-22T10:52:38","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T09:52:38","slug":"torre-tavira","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/spain\/andalusia\/cadiz\/torre-tavira\/","title":{"rendered":"Torre Tavira – viewpoint and C\u00e1mara Oscura"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We climb up one of the many towers in C\u00e1diz, step by step. The Torre Tavira is certainly the most famous tower in the city and should not be missed on any sightseeing programme in the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

If you look at Cadiz from a bird’s eye view, you will notice that many houses have small towers. The wealthier merchant families in particular had these towers built on top of their houses. Not to create a cosy living space up there. From there, they could look out over the sea and spot incoming ships in good time. In times without mobile phones, telephones, radios or other ways of informing someone of an arrival, this was the best way to know when the much sought-after goods would arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In addition to the “private” watchtowers, there were also official watchtowers in the city. The Torre Tavira has been one of the official towers since 1778. A tower guard sat here and was able to report incoming ships and possible dangers at an early stage from a height of 45 metres.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Today, the tower is owned by the city and can be visited. A staircase leads up to exhibition platforms that deal with the city and its history and the actual highlight of the C\u00e1mara Oscura tower. There is also a viewing platform on the tower. The highlight of the Torre Tavira, the C\u00e1mara Oscura, has only been on the tower since 1994.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit to the viewing platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You have to climb a few steps until you reach the area where you can buy tickets. It is advisable to buy a ticket in advance, especially in the high season. There are guided tours (also in German and English) with a limited number of places for the C\u00e1mara Oscura demonstration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the beginning of the timeslot, you can go up to the viewing platform on your own. From there, you will then be picked up for the C\u00e1mara Oscura demonstration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Ausblick<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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After 172 steps, which finally turn into a very narrow and steep spiral staircase, you reach the roof. From the roof of the tower, you have an excellent 360-degree view over the city. The sea is somewhat hidden behind the houses. What immediately struck me from up there was how densely built-up the city is. The narrow alleyways of the old town suddenly no longer seem so winding (that’s how I felt when I was walking around), but I realise that many of the streets are laid out in straight lines. This allows the fresh sea air to permeate the city centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Ausblick<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Blick<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I find the cathedral of C\u00e1diz<\/a> particularly impressive. It was only from the tower that I could really appreciate the dimensions of this church. The numerous towers on the houses also stand out particularly well from up there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The view is truly unique and it’s really worth climbing up there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I hardly noticed during my visit to the roof was the chimney-like box. This later turned out to be part of the C\u00e1mara Oscura.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"C\u00e1mara<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is a C\u00e1mara Oscura?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was particularly excited about the C\u00e1mara Oscura. I couldn’t really imagine what it was like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We first went into a completely darkened room in which a round screen stood like a table in the centre of the room. Once everyone had found their seats, a 15-minute performance began. Unfortunately, it is not permitted to take photographs in this room, but this would not have been easy due to the lighting conditions required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To put it simply, the C\u00e1mara Oscura is an optical device that uses light to “paint” images onto a white background. I was able to find out exactly how it works on one of the numerous display boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Schautafel<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Small review<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The technique is very old and was already known in Arabic science in the 10th century. At that time, attempts were made to explain the formation of the image in the eye with the help of how the c\u00e1mara works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci was one of the scientists who returned to the subject. He researched and further developed the technique, for example by inserting a lens to produce a sharper image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 1558, Giovanni Della Porta published a book explaining the principle of the C\u00e1mara Oscura in a simple and understandable way. This was translated into numerous languages, which is why he is often wrongly labelled as the inventor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert Hooke began to further develop the principle of the C\u00e1mara Oscura in the 17th century. For example, he produced portable devices that were used to explore the topography. Later, painters are also said to have used the device to create realistic paintings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The construction of the C\u00e1mara Oscura is also considered to be the forerunner of cameras. It is known that the inventor of photography, Nic\u00e9phore Niepce, owned a C\u00e1mara Oscura with an inbuilt lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you experience during the visit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We stand around the screen in the room, which is painted completely black. There is an opening in the ceiling. A revolving box rises above it, out of sight, in which lenses and mirrors transport the captured light \/ image downwards and make it visible on the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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