{{Infobox settlement | name = Ayamonte | official_name = <!-- if different from name --> | native_name = <!-- if different from name --> | settlement_type = Municipality | image_skyline = Ayamonte Panorama.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = General view of the town and the San Salvador church | image_flag = Bandera Ayamonte.svg | image_shield = Emblem of Ayamonte.svg | nickname = | motto = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Spain#Spain Andalusia | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_relief = 1 | coordinates = {{coord|37|12|N|7|24|W|region:ES_type:city|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Spain | subdivision_type1 = Autonomous community | subdivision_type2 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Andalusia | subdivision_name2 = Huelva | established_title = <!-- Founded --> | established_date = | seat_type = <!-- Capital --> | seat = | leader_party = | leader_title = Alcaldesa | leader_name = Natalia Santos Mena | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 142 | elevation_m = 63 | elevation_min_m = | population_as_of = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}} | population_footnotes = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}} | population_total = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_total}} | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = Ayamontino, na | population_note = | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 21400 | area_code = | area_code_type = Dialing code | blank_name_sec1 = Official language(s) | blank_info_sec1 = | website = [http://www.ayto-ayamonte.es/ ayto-ayamonte.es] | footnotes = | elevation_max_m = | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = CEST | utc_offset_DST = +2 }}
'''Ayamonte''' ({{IPA|es|aʝaˈmonte}}; {{langx|pt|Aiamonte}}) is a town and municipality of Spain belonging to the province of Huelva, Andalusia. It is located near the border with Portugal on the mouth of the Guadiana River. According to the 2025 municipal register, the city has a population of 22,001 inhabitants.
== History == In the municipality are located parts of the megalithic site La Torre-La Janera which is assumed to date back to the 5th millennium BC.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Linares-Catela |first=José Antonio |last2=Molina |first2=Coronada Mora |last3=López |first3=Adara López |last4=Romero |first4=Teodosio Donaire |last5=Vera-Rodríguez |first5=Juan Carlos |last6=Ramírez |first6=Primitiva Bueno |date=2022-06-20 |title=El sitio megalítico de La Torre-La Janera (Huelva): monumentalidades prehistóricas del Bajo Guadiana |url=https://tp.revistas.csic.es/index.php/tp/article/view/881 |journal=Trabajos de Prehistoria |language=es |volume=79 |issue=1 |pages=115–130 |doi=10.3989/tp.2022.12290 |issn=1988-3218|doi-access=free |hdl=10272/21122 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> The town was seized away from Muslim control in 1240 during the reign of Sancho II of Portugal, and it was donated afterwards to the Order of Santiago.{{Sfn|González Díaz|2005|p=257}} Ayamonte became part of the Crown of Castile in 1263.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://rabida.uhu.es/dspace/bitstream/handle/10272/3181/b15159140.pdf?sequence=1|journal=Huelva en su Historia|year=2005|title=Ordenanzas del marquesado de Ayamonte, año 1702. Ordenación del territorio y regulación de los recursos|first=Antonio Manuel|last=González Díaz|issn=1136-6877|issue=12|page=257|publisher=Diputación Provincial de Huelva|location=Huelva|via=University of Huelva}}</ref>
Fishing and salting of tuna and sardine was already practised in Ayamonte since the Middle Ages.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://grupos.us.es/puertosandaluces/pdf/Ficha_Ayamonte.pdf|page=13|work=Patrimonio cultural en los puertos de interés pesqueros en Andalucía|title=Ayamonte|via=Universidad de Sevilla}}</ref> The town suffered due to the War with Portugal and the plague pandemics in the 17th century.<ref name=uhu /> In the following century, Catalans and other eastern merchants installed in the town and gave impetus to the local canning and salt industry.<ref name=uhu>{{Cite web|url=http://rabida.uhu.es/dspace/bitstream/handle/10272/6674/02_FRONTEiRAS_Dossier_14x14.pdf?sequence=2|via=University of Huelva|pages=12–13|title=Fronteiras. I Seminario Hispano-Luso: Patrimonio Industrial Conservero y Salazonero}}</ref>
==Location== The township of Ayamonte preserves its old medieval quarter in the central district of the town, with many very narrow streets and historical buildings; this central area is a designated car-free zone.
The beach area of Ayamonte is Isla Canela and is reached by a causeway across the Marismas del Guadiana; the marismas (salt marshes) are a wildlife reserve, providing a home to many waterfowl, including herons and flamingos. Isla Canela is built along several kilometers of sandy beaches, and provides an area for windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing. There are a number of golf courses in and around the area, including one built into the Marismas itself.
== Transport == The ferry link between Ayamonte and Vila Real de Santo António was the traditional crossing point between Spain and Portugal. A modern bridge over the Guadiana River has now been built to the north of the town, linking the motorway systems of both countries, but the ferry still runs and provides an inexpensive mode of transport between the two countries.
== Culture == {{unreferenced section|date=May 2021}} The city is also famous for its local festivities, the "Fiestas de las Angustias", in honor of their patron "Nuestra Señora de las Angustias". The festivities in the beginning of September are a moment of celebration not only from the Ayamontin population, but also for many Andalucians, and Portuguese. The festivities are graced by the local band, "Banda Ciudad de Ayamonte" and the Portuguese "Banda da Sociedade Filarmónica Progresso e Labor Samouquense" from the Portuguese village of Samouco. <!--unsourced The Costa Esuri development is just to the north of Ayamonte. It was an ambitious development built by the Galicia-based developer Martinsa-Fadesa that stalled as a result of the global financial crisis of 2007–08. Many properties were left unfinished, but because of the steep reduction in price, the development is starting to have the success that was always expected. The development features two golf courses, though only the west course is open. A hotel that was planned remains unfinished.-->
==Sights== There are several historical monuments in the city, such as the 16th-century fortifications of the Baluarte de las Angustias, the 16th-century church of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias and the 17th-century church of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes. The Plaza de la Laguna, which dates back to the 18th century, is home to many ornate azulejo tiles.<ref name=sights>{{cite web |title=Ayamonte bez pośpiechu|url=https://merwinski.pl/ayamonte-bez-pospiechu/|website=Merwinski.pl|last=Merwiński |first=Tomasz |author-link=Tomasz Merwiński|access-date=2024-10-03|language=pl}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Ayamonte R02.jpg|Street in Ayamonte File:Ayamonte Street R02.jpg|Street in Ayamonte File:AyamontePaseoRibera.jpg|Paseo de la Ribera File:Ayamonte Paseo de la Ribera R01.jpg|Plaza de la Coronación File:Ayamonte El Salvador R01.jpg|El Salvador church File:Ayamonte Marina R01.jpg|Marina in Ayamonte File:Ayamonte R01.jpg|The bank of the Guadiana River File:Ayamonte by Night R01.jpg|Ayamonte during night </gallery>
== Climate == Ayamonte has a hot summer-mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) with mild, somewhat wet winters and dry, hot summers. Autumn is the wettest season.<ref name="AEMET OpenData">{{cite web|url=https://opendata.aemet.es/centrodedescargas/inicio|title=AEMET OpenData|publisher=Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia|language=es|access-date=27 January 2025}}</ref>
{{Weather box |location = Ayamonte (1991-2020 normals, 1991-present extremes) |metric first = yes |single line = yes |Jan record high C = 24.6 |Feb record high C = 26.0 |Mar record high C = 29.7 |Apr record high C = 34.9 |May record high C = 37.5 |Jun record high C = 39.4 |Jul record high C = 42.7 |Aug record high C = 42.2 |Sep record high C = 36.5 |Oct record high C = 34.7 |Nov record high C = 27.6 |Dec record high C = 23.8 |year record high C = |Jan high C = 16.5 |Feb high C = 17.3 |Mar high C = 19.4 |Apr high C = 21.4 |May high C = 24.7 |Jun high C = 27.8 |Jul high C = 30.3 |Aug high C = 30.8 |Sep high C = 27.8 |Oct high C = 24.6 |Nov high C = 19.9 |Dec high C = 17.1 |year high C = |Jan mean C = 11.8 |Feb mean C = 12.5 |Mar mean C = 14.5 |Apr mean C = 16.7 |May mean C = 19.6 |Jun mean C = 22.7 |Jul mean C = 24.8 |Aug mean C = 25.3 |Sep mean C = 22.9 |Oct mean C = 19.9 |Nov mean C = 15.4 |Dec mean C = 12.6 |year mean C = |Jan low C = 7.2 |Feb low C = 7.7 |Mar low C = 9.5 |Apr low C = 11.9 |May low C = 14.4 |Jun low C = 17.5 |Jul low C = 19.2 |Aug low C = 19.8 |Sep low C = 17.9 |Oct low C = 15.2 |Nov low C = 10.8 |Dec low C = 8.0 |year low C = |Jan record low C = -0.4 |Feb record low C = 0.0 |Mar record low C = 2.8 |Apr record low C = 6.3 |May record low C = 7.5 |Jun record low C = 11.7 |Jul record low C = 15.0 |Aug record low C = 15.2 |Sep record low C = 13.6 |Oct record low C = 7.2 |Nov record low C = 2.4 |Dec record low C = 1.1 |year record low C = |precipitation color = green |Jan precipitation mm = 37.0 |Feb precipitation mm = 48.8 |Mar precipitation mm = 61.9 |Apr precipitation mm = 47.6 |May precipitation mm = 27.4 |Jun precipitation mm = 3.7 |Jul precipitation mm = 0.2 |Aug precipitation mm = 3.9 |Sep precipitation mm = 14.6 |Oct precipitation mm = 60.7 |Nov precipitation mm = 94.1 |Dec precipitation mm = 46.9 |year precipitation mm = |unit precipitation days = 1 mm |Jan precipitation days = 4.7 |Feb precipitation days = 5.4 |Mar precipitation days = 6.4 |Apr precipitation days = 6.3 |May precipitation days = 4.1 |Jun precipitation days = 0.9 |Jul precipitation days = 0.1 |Aug precipitation days = 0.3 |Sep precipitation days = 1.9 |Oct precipitation days = 6.0 |Nov precipitation days = 7.6 |Dec precipitation days = 4.8 |year precipitation days = |source 1 = Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia<ref name="AEMET OpenData">{{cite web|url=https://opendata.aemet.es/centrodedescargas/inicio|title=AEMET OpenData|publisher=Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia|language=es|access-date=27 January 2025}}</ref> |date=}}
==Demographics== {{Historical populations | align = center | 1999| 16980 | 2000| 16939 | 2001| 17084 | 2002| 17292 | 2003| 17402 | 2004| 17623 | 2005| 18001 | source = [https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q736872] {{user-generated source|date=April 2024}} [https://www.aznations.com/population/es/cities/ayamonte] |2006|18636|2007|19380|2008|19738|2009|20334|2010|20597|2011|20763|2012|20968|2013|20406|2014|19690|2015|20357|2016|20629|2017|20714|2018|20883|2019|20946|2020|21104|2021|21510|2022|21725|2023|21645|2024|20597}}
== People == * Antonio León Ortega (1907–1991), Sculptor. He had his professional education in Madrid and he created a personal style in the Andalusian imagery of the 20th century. * María Isabel, singer.
==See also== * List of municipalities in Huelva
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{EB9 Poster|Ayamonte}} *[http://www.ayto-ayamonte.es/ Ayuntamiento de Ayamonte]*** changed to www.ayamonte.es ** *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051026074759/http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/institutodeestadistica/sima/htm/sm21010.htm Ayamonte] - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía
{{Municipalities in Huelva}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Municipalities in the Province of Huelva Category:Portugal–Spain border crossings