Oldest lighthouse still in operation
- Who
- Tower of Hercules
- What
- 2nd century CE year(s)
- Where
- Spain (La Coruña)
- When
- 2nd century CE
The 57-m-tall (185-ft) Tower of Hercules (Torre de Hércules) located at La Coruña in Galicia, Spain (latitude 43.4°N; longitude 8.4°W), dates to the turn of the 2nd century CE when it was built by architect Caius Sevius Lupus during the reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan (98–117 CE). It was originally known as "Farum Brigantium" after the nearby port of the same name. It was restored in the late 18th century by Eustaquio Giannini, but the original Roman structure forming the core of the lighthouse remained in place.
The original lighthouse (also used as a watchtower) stood 36 m (118 ft) tall, with a 4-m (13-ft) pinnacle where burning wood served as a beacon to sailors. It was possibly dedicated to the Roman god of war, Mars, as indicated by a contemporary Latin inscription near the base, though recent excavations suggest this attribution may have been to a statue found in the foundations.
Another beacon may have preceded the Roman iteration on this site, perhaps built by the Phoenicians. It's believed that the Tower of Hercules' design was inspired by the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria of Egypt, one of the wonders of the ancient world dating to the 3rd century BCE and widely considered to be the first true lighthouse.
The Tower of Hercules has been a notable landmark in Iberia ever since it was built, widely depicted on local coins and artwork. In the 6th century, the land around the structure was referred to as Faro (Spanish for "lighthouse") and in the 9th century this was expanded to the wider region, so it essentially became known as "Lighthouse-shire".
The name "Tower of Hercules" was born of a legend that the demi-god Hercules slayed the three-bodied, three-headed king of Spain, Gerion, on this site and erected a column here to mark his victory, which later was turned into a lighthouse.
The current lighthouse was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
Other notably old lighthouses still in operation are Hook Lighthouse in County Wexford, Ireland (current tower said to date to the 12th century) and Kopu Lighthouse in Estonia (functioning since 1531).