Tower Of Hercules Size report
The Tower of Hercules is located in northwestern Spain, on a peninsula 2.4 km from La Coruña, Galicia. It was built in the ancientancient Roman, the oldest of the Roman lighthouses still in use, dating back to more than 1900 years ago. The tower was renovated in 1791.
The lighthouse's name, "Hercules," comes from the Greek mythological god Hercules. The Hercules Lighthouse is evidence of the ancient use of lighthouses. For most of the Middle Ages, the tower also attests to the continuity of the Atlantic route, originally blazed by the Romans, to the modern and contemporary era.
In 2009, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee approved the Hercules Tower as a cultural heritage and included it in the World Heritage List. The tower supports the navigation of commercial and military ships through the bay of A Coruña. Let's learn more about the size and structure of the Tower of Hercules.
Tower of Hercules Size And Structure
Built at the end of the 1st century AD, located at the entrance of the harbor of A Coruña in northwestern Spain, the ancient Romans built the Tower of Hercules mainly as a lighthouse and landmark. From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, countless legends have revolved around the Tower of Hercules, and it is the only well-preserved lighthouse from the Greco-Roman era in structure and function. The Hercules Tower is the second tallest lighthouse in Spain, after the Faro de Chipiona.
The whole tower is divided into three floors; the first floor corresponds to the lighthouse of the Roman structure. Immediately adjacent to the lighthouse base is a small square ancient Roman building. The base of this ancient Roman building was excavated in the 1990s.
Dimensions of the Tower of Hercules
The Tower of Hercules is built on a rock base 57 meters (187 feet) high. The tower rises about 55 meters (185 feet) high, while the Roman core is 34 meters. It stands on the Eiras peninsula to guard the Galician coastline on the North Atlantic coast of Spain.
| Qucik Facts | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 57 m (187 ft) |
| Structure Height | 55 m (185 ft) |
Renovation of the Tower of Hercules
Its original shape was shorter, wider, and had a ramp to carry the lighthouse fuel. In 1788, the local government began a major renovation of the lighthouse. The project preserves and improves ancient Roman architecture. A neoclassical façade was built to shelter the original Roman buildings inside. Later, the spires covering the lamps, the small temples covering the Latin inscriptions, and the platforms at the bases were added.
At the entrance of the lighthouse, the remains of the original foundation and the buildings attached to the lighthouse can be visited. The Roman architectural core inside the lighthouse is divided into three floors, each with four halls covered by a cylindrical vault. Typical Roman architecture is shown in all halls.
Final Words
The converted lighthouse is the iconic lighthouse you see today in A Coruña at dusk. Everyone will never forget it. Traveling worldwide, you rarely see a few such square lighthouses with the soul of Roman architecture. Once, Columbus arrived here and mistakenly thought he had reached the world's end. This lighthouse, built in ancient Rome, is one of the most famous lighthouses in the world. Even after more than 2000 years, it is still used by the people of A Coruña today.
