History of Las Cabezas de San Juan

The municipality of the Heads of San Juan occupies a space of transition between the Countryside and the salt marshes of the Guadalquivir. It is located in the southern end of the province of Seville, being bordering with the one of Cadiz. In 1.996 it had a population of 15,509 inhabitants, of whom near 90 % they resided in the main body. Between the remaining organizations of population of the term they emphasize the towns of Marismilla, San Leandro, Vetaherrado and Sacramento.

The existing older archaeological rest in these earth are of Iberian time. Later, Carthaginian general Aníbal orders to construct numerous watchtowers between Gades and the zone of Seville, that when they are conquered by the Escipión Roman, is denominated Turris Hannibalis. The set of towers stays still on during all the Roman colonization, being inherited by the Arabs, who change their name by the one of Watchtowers of Montúfar. The present name of the population is coined after the Christian conquest, responding to its orographic situation in a series of small hills, conquered by the Military order of San Juan of Jerusalem. In century XVII (during the reign of Carlos II) the locality is sold Count de Cañete. In 1.820 an important fact in the history of Spain, the revolt of General Riego against the absolutista policy of Fernando VII takes place in the Heads to promulgate the Constitution in 1820. Here in the Heads it is the house in which Irrigation lodged, and is memories his in the City council and the walls of some streets.

The historical event happened this way: In the month of December of 1819 several regiments had encamped in alrededo­res of Jerez and Cadiz that formed a column to embark in a fleet that would go to Mexico to choke the independentista revolt of that Spanish colony. Don Rafael of the Irrigation was lieutenant colonel in one of those regiments, and in agreement with the other heads, Quiroga, San Miguel and Galiana, they decided to prevent that the regiments left for America, for which Irrigation reunited in the Seat to its soldiers here, and from the balcony of the city council it sent the proclamation, recovering the 1812 constitution that had been abolished. Later the troops marched on Madrid, and Rafael of the Irrigation became the national hero, and governed during three years, to the front of the revolutionary liberal party.

Here in the Heads that stage of the history of Spain began, with international repercussions.

In 1821 Cortes approved a law by virtue of which, the town of the Heads of San Juan that was villa, it ascended to the category of city. The same Cuts granted like shield municipal a castle to him on waves of sea, and above two arms with spouses in the wrists, and broken the chain that united them.

The municipal head is raised on one of the hills that on the brink of madness dominate to the ample plain the Salt marsh. Its topographic configuration has turned to him a place of easy defense before the invaders and as opposed to the floods of the river. In addition, it occupies a strategic position as crossroad in the route between Seville and the Bay of Cadiz.

During the Roman domination already an urban nucleus of 24 existed in the present establishment you have, with form rectangular and delimited by the present High Calvario streets (this), General Delgado (the west), Cordova (South) and Walls (North). The roadway oriented in sense the north-south. During the Average Age, the locality is extended with radial streets and apples in wedge form, having like limits of the enclosure walled at the end of century XV the streets Wide Track (to the west) and San Ignacio de Loyola (to the south).

In century XVII, Count de Cañete destroys great part of the wall with idea to construct a palace. The Heads become an open villa and it transforms itself into a totally urban establishment, leaving the military character that it had had until then. In century XVIII the old helmet is rearranged and the plot expands towards the north, giving continuity to the Wide Track and the General street Delgado, conforming the General street Laserna and becoming the Seat of the Constitution the urban center.

In century XIX it continues the growth towards the north and, for the first time, towards the south, generating a wedge of streets that look for the way of Lebrija. It is ordered all the hill that can denominate historical establishment, although still exist some emptinesses that fill up throughout the century. In first half of century XX peripheral establishments in the skirts of the hill take place, there where the topography allows it, exhausting its possibilities of colmatación. In the last years it has varied the historical scheme of growth, taking place urban developments throughout almost all the ways: towards the north (with axis in the C-441), the east (C-343) and the south (Se-695 and C-441), working the Seville-Cadiz Freeway like a certain barrier to the urban growth by the west.

The locality continues conserving the almendrada morphology that it has had historically, with long apples oriented approximately of north largely the south. In the most recent developments they have appeared the new constructive tipologías. The passage of the C-441 highway continues structuring the urban nucleus largely.

Between its constructions of artistic historical interest it is possible to emphasize the Parochial Church of San Juan Baptist (century XVIII) and the hermitage of San Roque (century XVII).

In gold field:
A "castle" from whose tribute two "hands newlywed" and united by a "chain" arise that is broken in its half, the castle and the hands in its natural color and the chain in saber.
Bordura of gules: With the legend in filleted letters of saber silver.
This Shield and "I title of City", were cancelled by not to have rehabilitated in 1.939.