The Rio Tinto Company loading bay

One of the most recognisable icons of Huelva has stood on the Odiel River since 1874, when the Rio Tinto Company Ltd. built a wharf for the minerals extracted in the province’s mines. It is a masterpiece of engineering from the last quarter of the 19th century, which was in use until 1975 and declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 2003, before being restored in 2007. The mining operations of foreign companies were connected by rail to the sea by means of this quay, which has become one of the heritage landmarks of the capital of Huelva.

Trivia:
• The pier was the final section of a railway line that was more than 84 kilometres long, which connected Huelva with the mines of Rio Tinto.
• It is 1,156 metres long, 500 of which stretch out over the waters of the River Odiel.
• It is estimated that during the almost one hundred years it was in use (between 1876 and 1975), more than 150 million tons of ore were shipped from this quay.