Juan Martín Cermeño facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Martín Cermeño
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Bust of Juan Martín Cermeño, by Robert Michel (1780)
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| Born | 1700 |
| Died | 1773 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Other names | Zermeño |
| Occupation | Architect, Military Engineer, Lieutenant General |
Juan Martín Cermeño (born in Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain, in 1700 – died in Barcelona, Spain, in 1773) was an important Spanish architect and military engineer. He also became a high-ranking army officer, a lieutenant general. He designed many important buildings and city plans during his career.
Contents
Life and Major Works
Early Life and Career
Juan Martín Cermeño was born in Ciudad Rodrigo. His parents were Domingo Martín Báez and Isabel Fernández Cermeño. In 1719, when he was 19, he joined the Royal Engineers Corps. This group was responsible for designing and building military structures. By 1748, he had become a field marshal. From 1749 to 1756, he was the acting general commander of all military engineers.
First Projects and Family
Cermeño started working on construction projects when he was young. In 1721, he helped redesign the outer walls of the Old Town in Melilla. That same year, he married Antonia de Paredes Fernández in Melilla. Their son, Pedro Martín Cermeño, was born there in 1722. Pedro also became a military engineer later on.
In 1727, Cermeño took part in the siege of Gibraltar. This was a military operation to try and capture the territory. In 1749, Cermeño was officially named the General Commander of the Engineers.
Building Fortresses
In 1751, Cermeño asked another engineer, Pedro de Lucuce, to write a report. This report was about how to defend the new border between Catalonia and France. In September 1753, Cermeño began building the Sant Ferran Castle in Figueras. He used the ideas from Lucuce's report. His son, Pedro Martín Cermeño, took over the work on this castle in 1756.
In 1755, Cermeño designed the Castle of San Pedro de la Roca del Morro. This important fortress is located at the entrance to the bay of Santiago de Cuba.
Designing Cities
Cermeño was also a key figure in urban planning. The Captain General of Catalonia, Jaime de Guzmán y Spinola, II Marquis of la Mina, asked him to design a new neighborhood in Barcelona. This area would be called La Barceloneta.
Another engineer, Verboom, had made some early plans for the district. However, these plans were never used. In 1753, Cermeño drew up completely new designs for La Barceloneta. This became one of Europe's most important urban planning projects during the Enlightenment.
Other Important Roles
In 1758, Cermeño was appointed Governor of Oran, a city in North Africa. He held this position until 1765. Nine years later, his son, Pedro Martín Cermeño, also became governor of Oran.
The Marqués de la Mina also asked Cermeño to work on the Montjuïc Castle in Barcelona. The old fort was taken down and rebuilt in 1779.
Cermeño was involved in many other projects. He helped plan the city of Manila in the Philippines. He also worked on strengthening defenses in places like Plaza de Cartagena and the Castle of the Moors. He even planned expansions for the defenses in Montevideo.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Martín Cermeño para niños
