Tower of Hercules
Tower of Hercules features on the Gingerguide audio walk through A Coruña. Give it roughly ~60 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- A Coruña A Coruña guide
About Tower of Hercules
The world's only working Roman lighthouse, built in the 2nd century AD and still in operation today, standing 55 metres high on the Galician Atlantic coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009.
The Tower of Hercules (Torre de Hércules) is one of the most remarkable ancient monuments in the world: a 2nd-century Roman lighthouse on the Atlantic coast of Galicia that has been in continuous operation as a navigational aid for nearly two thousand years, making it the oldest lighthouse still functioning in the world. The tower stands 55 metres high on a promontory at the northwestern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, above the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Ría do Burgo. Built by the Romans, possibly under the engineer Gaius Sevius Lupus, it was constructed on an even older foundation and served to guide ships into the harbour of the Roman settlement at what is now A Coruña. The exterior that visitors see today largely dates from the 18th century, when the tower was rebuilt by engineer Eustaquio Giannini, but the original Roman core (visible inside) remains structurally intact. The tower gives its name to the city's football club (Deportivo de La Coruña), and the area around it is a park with standing stones and prehistoric rock carvings. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
Did you know? The Tower of Hercules has been in continuous operation as a lighthouse for nearly 2,000 years, making it the oldest functioning lighthouse in the world. By comparison, the famous Pharos of Alexandria (one of the Seven Wonders) was destroyed in the 14th century after 1,500 years.
How long is a visit to Tower of Hercules?
Set aside roughly ~60 min for Tower of Hercules. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Tower of Hercules worth your time?
Tower of Hercules is among the 12 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for A Coruña, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in A Coruña
Hear the story of Tower of Hercules
Preview the A Coruña tour free in the Gingerguide app.