During the 18th century, Cádiz’s position along the Atlantic helped it grow into a major Spanish port. Many shippers and traders to the Indies (Americas) became rich and invested in elaborate homes. An excellent example is the House of the Four Towers at Plaza Argüelles. The four separate buildings have a unified façade. Owner Juan Clat Fragela, a Syrian merchant, used this ornate tower to monitor the nearby port through a telescope. The decorations of Casa de los Cuatro Torres were painted using a red ocher pigment called almagra.
