History

The Tower of Hercules is the only Roman lighthouse still nowadays, and it continues to accomplish the same functions as when it was founded: on the one hand as maritime sign and on the other hand as navigation assistant for the ships that were and are crossing the Atlantic corridor.

In all likelihood it was constructed in the second half of the 1st century or the beginning of the 2nd century A.D. by the Roman Empire, in the finis terrae of the, until then, known world.Its function was to guide ships that were bordering the end of the furthest western part of the Empire.

It is located in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula, in the region of Galicia, in the province of A Coruña and in the city of A Coruña.

The place chosen for its emplacement was a rocky hill, named Punta Eiras, of almost 57 meters height, located between Punta Herminia and Punta del Orzán, and which overlooks the north end of the peninsula in which the city of A Coruña lies.

When the Romans constructed the Tower, they chose an area that was part of a sacred place or an indigenous sanctuary. It was frequent that the Celts dedicated coastal promontories to divinities similar to Hercules. In addition, in the case of A Coruña there is a congruence between the three rocks placed in the sea, opposite the Punta Eiras, known as Ox, Cow and Calf, and the Kenmare's sanctuary, as well as others on the SW coast of Ireland, that have the same names. The traditions locate there the island of Donn or of the Dead men. Hence, in the area surrounding the Tower, there would have been a sanctuary linked to the beliefs in alterlife in the pre-Roman epoch. This would certainly corroborated the sacred character of the whole area.

When the Tower was constructed, it was located far from the Roman city of Brigantium that gave origin to A Coruña. As time passed, the distance grew smaller until it disappeared and nowadays the Tower is integrated in the city itslef, inside a great urban park that covers 123 acres, an area free of buildings, defined as rustic ground of special protection and dedicated to green space.

This recovered zone has a great scenic value for being a part of coast of enormous natural beauty, with abrupt cliffs that fall down towards the sea, forming many inlets and projections where the waves of the Atlantic Ocean break with force.

From this privileged lookout it is possible to see the whole Gulf of Ártabro that ranges from Cape San Adrián to Cape Prior, a wide zone in which the islands Sisargas, the islands of O Portiño, A Marola and A Gabeiras lie, and much as the mouth of the estuaries of Burgo, Betanzos and Ferrol. This park surrounding the Tower is an observatory from which frequently different species of birds like the cormorants, gulls, arks and guillemots can be seen, since their nests are placed in the near cliffs.

TOWER OF HÉRCULES SPECIFICATIONS
National No. of Lighthouse/Beacon 03530
International No. of Lighthouse/Beacon D-1704
Location

Latitud 43º 23' 12,3923 N

Longitud 8º 24' 17,9519 O
Description Tower with square base and octagonal to.
Focal height in meters 49
Height in meters 106
Color White
Characteristics GpD(4) 20s. L0,3 Oc3 L0,3 Oc3 L0,3 Oc3 L0,3 Oc9,8.  
Reach in miles 23

 

The numerous ways crossing the whole zone allow the visitors to enjoy a natural environment with an autochthonous flora of undoubted ecological value.

Links of interest