Although there were other ancient lighthouses, the Tower of Hercules is the oldest surviving lighthouse in the world. The exact date of the tower’s construction is unknown, but records show that it has existed since at least the 2nd century CE. It may have been built or rebuilt by the Roman Emperor Trajan and modeled after the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
An inscription on the base of the tower says that its architect was Gaius Sevius Lupus, from Aeminium (present-day Coimbra, Portugal) as an offering dedicated to the Roman god of war, Mars. The tower was restored between 1788 – 1791 and today the lighthouse is a National Monument of Spain. It has also been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2009.
