Breogán y su torre (Hércules)

Breogán y su torre (Hércules)
Originally uploaded by Chairego.

Pétrea y regia figura de Breogán, el mítico rey celta de Galicia, con la torre de Hércules al fondo (A Coruña-España), que él construyó, según la tradición. El monumento, de 59 metros de altura, revestido de un inusual andamiaje por mor de una operación de limpieza, es el símbolo universal que identifica la ciudad coruñesa. A Breogán, que acabaría asesinado en Irlanda, también se le atribuye la fundación de Brigantia, la actual Betanzos. Del mismo modo, es representado como el padre mitológico del pueblo gallego. Por eso, Galicia es descrita poéticamente como ‘fogar’ o ‘nazón’ de Breogán, tal como se expresa en ‘Os Pinos’, el himno gallego, basado en el poema homónimo de Eduardo Condal, musicado por el mindoniense Pascual Veiga.

DSC_6859

DSC_6859
Originally uploaded by mjkwak.

Torre de Hercules al fondo

Niebla

Niebla
Originally uploaded by Chencho Mendoza.

Tower of Hercules

Tower of Hercules*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Spain
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iii
Reference	1312
Region**	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	2009  (33rd Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO.

The Tower of Hercules (Galician and Spanish: Torre de Hércules) is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the centre of A Coruña, Galicia, in north-western Spain. The name Corunna is said to be derived from the ancient columna, meaning column. The structure is 55 metres (180 ft) tall and overlooks the North Atlantic coast of Spain. The structure, almost 1900 years old and rehabilitated in 1791, is the oldest Roman lighthouse still used as a lighthouse.

The Tower of Hercules is a National Monument of Spain, and since June, 27 2009 the Tower of Herculesis also considered an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the second tallest lighthouse in Spain, after the Faro de Chipiona.

The tower remains a sentinel from days long past. It is known to have existed by the 2nd century, built or perhaps rebuilt under Trajan, perhaps on foundations and just possibly following a design that was Phoenician in origin. It is thought to be modeled after the Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria. At its base is preserved the cornerstone with the inscription MARTI AUG.SACR C.SEVIVS LUPUS ARCHTECTUS AEMINIENSIS LVSITANVS.EX.VO, permitting the original lighthouse tower to be ascribed to the architect Gaius Sevius Lupus, from Aeminium (present-day Coimbra, Portugal) in the former province of Lusitania, as an ex voto dedicated to Mars. The tower has been in constant use since the 2nd century and considered to be the oldest existing lighthouse in the world. Originally it was constructed with an ascending ramp encircling its sides, for oxen to bring cartloads of wood to keep the light fueled at night.Construction and history

The earliest surviving mention of the lighthouse at Brigantium is by Paulus Orosius in Historiae adversum Paganos written ca 415 – 417:

Secundus angulus circium intendit, ubi Brigantia Gallaeciae civitas sita altissimum farum et inter pauca memorandi operis ad speculam Britanniae erigit” ("At the second angle of the circuit [circumnavigating Hispania], where the Gallaecian city of Brigantia is sited, a very tall lighthouse is erected among a few commemorative works, for looking towards Britannia.")