The Torre de Hércules in A Coruña: The Oldest Active Roman Lighthouse in the World
This is a continuing series of photographs from our Galicia Road Trip (with a few stops in Asturias) this past August.
In my last post, we arrived in the city of A Coruña in NW Galicia. So in this post, I’ll share images from our visit to the city’s most popular attraction, the Torre de Hércules (Tower of Hercules), a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009.
The Tower of Hercules is a tower and lighthouse built by the Romans between the reigns of Nero and Vespasian. There are still many unknowns about the origin and the primitive appearance of the Tower of Hércules, but the data so far supplied and verified by scientific research (archaeological digs, study of the architectural walls and the construction methods, the documentation preserved) leaves little doubt that Romans (who else?) were the original builders of the lighthouse.
It was probably designed by the architect Gaius Sevius Lupus, from Lusitania, who left a commemorative inscription at the foot of the tower (which is still visible today) protected by a small shrine erected in the early 19th century on the platform that serves as the base of the monument.
Statue of Breogán | Torre de Hércules
The statue of Breogán is a white granite sculpture by Xosé Cid located near the entrance of the Tower of Hercules. It depicts the mythical Celtic king and founder of Brigantia (ancient A Coruña), representing the mythological father of the Galician nation and a link to its Celtic origins. The monument is situated in a roundabout, serving as a prominent landmark before ascending to the lighthouse.
The structure stands 180 ft tall and overlooks the North Atlantic coast of Spain. It is the only Roman lighthouse in the world that is preserved – if not completely, undoubtedly more than 60% – and still in operation today. The light that it casts is visible at sea from a distance of 32 miles. Inside the tower, there are a total of 234 steps leading to the top of the lighthouse (we passed on that particular opportunity because, you know, age).
In 1788, the surviving 112 foot tower core was given a neoclassical restoration, including a new 69 ft fourth storey. The restoration was undertaken by Spanish naval engineer Eustaquio Giannini during the reign of Charles III of Spain, and was finished in 1791. UNESCO praised the work: “The Tower of Hercules was restored in the 18th century in an exemplary manner, which has protected the central core of the original Roman monument while restoring its technical functions”.
The Rosa de los Vientos (Compass Rose), built in 1994 by Galician artist Tono Correa Corredoira, is comprised of a circular mosaic measuring 25 meters in diameter. It is situated at the foot of the Tower and is made of granite, slate and vitreous enamel. In addition to the large eight-pointed figure, it contains the symbols identifying the Celtic nations: the scallop, Galicia; the skull, Tarshish; the shamrock, Ireland; the thistle, Scotland; the triskele, the Isle of Man; the dragon, Wales; the chalice, Cornwall; and the stoat, Brittany.
Through the millennia, many mythical stories of the lighthouse’s origin have been told. According to a myth that mixes Celtic and Greco-Roman elements, the hero Hercules slew the giant tyrant Geryon after three days and three nights of continuous battle. Hercules then, in a traditional Celtic gesture, buried the head of Geryon with his weapons and ordered that a city be built on the site. The lighthouse, standing atop a rather happy skull and crossbones representing the buried head of Hercules’ slain enemy, appears in the coat of arms of the city (image below).
There’s more to the Tower of Hercules than just, you know, the tower. I was brought here my my cousins when I visited my family in Galicia way back in 1995 but I don’t remember them walking me past the tower to enjoy the sweeping views of the North Atlantic coast. That’s where we spent a lot of our time…
After the enjoying the coast (and yet another absolutely fabulous day), we headed back up to the tower…
…and back down the hill to whence we started.
Some people found the incline a good place to take five.
Serena having some fun with a bronze sculpture of Charon (“Caronte” in Spanish) by Galician artist Ramón Conde located in the Sculpture Park near the base of the Tower of Hercules. Charon, the ferryman of Hades, carried the souls of the dead across the River Styx in exchange for payment of one obolus.
If you’ve been to Europe enough times, you might find the Torre de Hércules to be just another of the many fantastic structures the Romans left scattered throughout Europe. But the views of the Atlantic the lie behind the tower make it well worth a visit (especially on an absolutely gorgeous August day). Trust us.
