Broadly it understood by the Sardinero area the coast range between the peninsula of the Magdalena and Mataleñas area, forming the open that bears his name. Strictly speaking, the center of this area would be the Plaza de Italia and the surroundings. It owes its name to the fact that in the past a fishing ground was located in front of its beaches where sardine fishing was frequent . 1
El Sardinero began to be known and widely visited from the middle of the 19th century and especially at the beginning of the 20th century . The summer fashion and the healthy benefits of wave bathing attracted many visitors from the Castilian bourgeoisie to this place . Little by little the Sardinero was turning from a place only visited by the residents of Santander to a city-spa, with all the services to offer a wealthy society attracted by the economic boom of Santander , coming from the hand of trade with the Spanish colonies .
On the basis of the historical and functional evolution of this space, two urban morphologies are differentiated: that of the group formed by the chalets and palaces built since the end of the 19th century and that of the modern buildings of main or secondary housing blocks of the last decades .
Around the Plaza del Pañuelo (currently the Plaza de Italia) there were hotels , the casino , avenues, bathhouses, etc. El Sardinero was communicated by wide walks such as that of Reina Victoria , Menéndez Pelayo or that of Pérez Galdós with the expansion of Santander .
In the year 1912 it is inaugurated on the peninsula of the Magdalena the Palacio de la Magdalena that would be residence of King Alfonso XII during his stays summer in Santander . These visits forced the creation of new services in the architectural style of the Belle Époque and large spas similar to that of Biarritz . Thus, the Hotel Real , the Gran Casino , a substitute for the old casinos, the Bellavista Racecourse or the polo field were built .
It is from the 1950s when a remodeling stage begins both in the morphological and functional planes. At the same time that it maintains its tourist function, the Sardinero becomes an area of ??permanent residence for well-to-do classes.
oday the city-garden configuration that the Sardinero had has been replaced by residential buildings in front of the first and second Sardinero beaches and the Camello beach. A large garden area and a promenade separate the beaches from the buildings, with the Piquío park serving as a privileged viewpoint over the beaches. Likewise, in this part of the city are located some of the great cultural and sports infrastructures of the capital, such as the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos , the Campos de Sport del Sardinero or the Palacio de Deportes . The latter is of avant-garde design and with a capacity to host 10,000 people in large events.
It can be considered as a sub-center of the city of Santander , especially valued for its environmental quality and as a leisure area , being the most prominent area of ??the city from a tourist point of view.
Font: (
visit link)