The current tower sits on the site of a predecessor destroyed centuries ago. While its stone form dates to the mid-1700s, the coastal defense system here has been in place since the Andalusi period.
King Fernando VI ordered its construction in March 1756 to protect the nearby village of La Almadraba de Monteleva and its salt flats. Architect Tomás Warluzel d'Hostel completed the conical structure in just eight months. By 1762, it was a functional military outpost, garrisoned with a squad of infantry, four soldiers, and an artilleryman who manned two cannons.
The structure saw significant change after the War of Independence, when its cannons were left to sit in the sand. It eventually became a headquarters for the Guardia Civil in 1941, though it was abandoned in 2000 when a new barracks was built nearby.
Today, the tower is a designated asset of cultural interest but remains in a state of neglect. Plans are underway to convert the space into a tourist office, though the project remains in the planning stages.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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