Torre del Águila: A coastal fortress on Lanzarote

The Castillo de San Marcial de Rubicón, also known as Torre del Águila, is a defensive tower located in Playa Blanca, in the municipality of Yaiza on the island of Lanzarote. It was built to protect the coast from constant incursions by Berber, English, and French pirates that plagued the coasts of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura since the 16th century. In 1741, the engineer Claudio de L´Isle decided to place the tower at punta del Águila, a promontory reaching about 15 meters above the mean tide level, overlooking the strait of Bocaina. The tower was erected in 1742.

In 1749, the tower was burned by Algerian pirates who arrived and looted nearby Femés. In 1767, the engineer Alejandro de los Ángeles raised the plans for the fortress again, making few reforms regarding the previous project. The building is circular, covering an area of 280 square meters. Inside, one enters via a stone staircase leading to a wooden drawbridge. The structure houses several rooms, including a dungeon, a powder magazine, troop quarters, and various other rooms.

Above the wall and the esplanade, a small bell tower topped with a cross stands. The tower is considered a twin of other defense towers, such as the Torre de San Andrés in Tenerife and the towers of Gando and San Pedro in Gran Canaria. It has been a site of cultural interest since 1949.

While the castle is currently closed to the public, the Ayuntamiento de Yaiza, which has owned the property since 1970, has plans for the site. Specifically, the municipality is promoting the opening of the Museo de la Historia y la Navegación. The tower remains a protected site of cultural interest on the southern coast of the island.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons