The Torre de Hércules (Tower of Hercules) is the oldest active lighthouse in the world — a 55-metre Roman lighthouse built in the late 1st century AD on a rocky headland in A Coruña, Galicia, northwestern Spain, that has been guiding ships into the harbour continuously for over 1,900 years. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009, it is the only fully preserved Roman lighthouse still in operation. The tower was originally constructed under the Emperor Trajan and designed by the architect Gaius Sevius Lupus. It was modelled on the legendary Pharos of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — and the Torre de Hércules is the closest surviving relative to that lost wonder, still lighting the Galician coast after two millennia.

Quick Facts: Tower of Hercules

• Best time to visit: Year-round; the view from the top of the tower is best on clear days (panoramas of the Atlantic and A Coruña) and especially dramatic at sunset
• How to get there: ~10 minutes from A Coruña city centre by car or bus; the tower is on a peninsula north of the city; ~1 hour from Santiago de Compostela
• Entry fee: ~€3 (adult)
• Combine with: The historic centre of A Coruña, the Roman walls of Lugo (UNESCO, 1 hour), and the Costa da Morte (Coast of Death — Galicia’s wild Atlantic shoreline)

Torre de Hercules is an ancient Roman tower in Spain, which since its inception has served as a beacon. It is so far the oldest active lighthouse in the world. It is located in Galicia, A Coruña, about 2.5 km from the city center.

Torre de Hercules was already built by the Romans in the 2nd century. As already mentioned, it is still working, which makes it a unique monument. Torre de Hercules is 68 meters high; there are 234 stairs leading to the top. The lighting ensures a group of 4 lights that flash every 20 seconds and is visible up to a distance of 39 km. Torre de Hercules and this entire site is otherwise surrounded by a series of legends.

Around the tower Torre de Hercules there is the Statue Park, an open-air museum. There are more than 15 sculptures by major artists of the 20th Century, such as Francisco Leiro or Pablo Serrano. For local residents the most important sculpture is Breogan, which is the mythological father of the population of Galicia.

Thanks to its historical significance, Torre de Hercules is registered since 2009 in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

Not far from tower you can also visit A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, the Roman walls of Lugo city, Aquarium Finisterrae.

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Have you climbed the oldest lighthouse on Earth or discovered A Coruña’s Roman heritage? Share your Galician experiences in the comments! 🗼

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