TOWER OF HERCULES

ka2 searching for the labours of hercules

CHARACTERISTICS

The Tower of Hercules is a

lighthouse tower located on a hill

in the peninsula of the city of La

Coruña in Galicia (Spain).

Its total height is 57 meters, it

was built in the first century and

has the privilege of being the

only Roman lighthouse and the

oldest in operation in the world.

It is the third lighthouse in height

in Spain, behind the Faro de

Maspalomas (60 meters) and the

Lighthouse None (62 m).

On June the 27th, 2009 it was

declared World Heritage by

Unesco.

MYTHOLOGY AND LEGENDS

According to one of the

several legends about the

tower, Hercules arrived by

boat to the coasts that

currently surround the tower,

and he buried the giant

Gerión's head there after

defeating him in combat.

This legend represents the

continuity of the Roman legacy

of Hercules on the legacy

tartésico-Phoenician.

THE KING BREOGAN

Torre de Hércules - DivesGallaecia2012-62" by Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez

(Lmbuga)

Another legend embodied in the 11th-

century Irish compilation Lebor

Gabála Érenn— the "Book of

Invasions"— identifies the tower as

the tower of Breogan .

King Breogán, the founding father of

the Galician Celtic nation, constructed

here a massive tower of such a grand

height that his sons could see a

distant green shore from its top.

The glimpse of that distant green land

lured them to sail north to Ireland.

According to the legend, these

Breogán's descendants who stayed in

Ireland and their followers are the

Celtic ancestors of the current Irish

people. A colossal statue of Breogán has been erected near the Tower.

THE KING BREOGAN

This legend would explain the origin of Brigantium place name, possibly

derived from Breogán, and it has support in the tradition of the Romans in

identifying their own gods or heroes, in this case Hercules, with the locals.

TOWER OF HERCULES PARK

CUP OF SUN ( Pepe Galán)

It represents the cup of the sun. Hercules

asked the sun to give him its cup – the sun

used it to go back to the east after reaching the west- in order to capture Gerion´s oxen.

The Sculpture Park at the Tower of Hercules

is an open air museum where you can feel

the sea breeze, its flavour and aroma in

surroundings steeped in legend.

On the route there are more than 15 works

of art in a great natural space. Some of

them are related to Hercules and greek

mythology.

COMPASS ROSE

Compass rose by Correa Corredoira (near the Tower of

Hercules). It represents the different Celtic peoples There is also a reference to Tarsis, Gerion´s City.

GUARDIANS (Soledad Penalta) Three heads, three Gerions as guardians of the tower.

FIGHT BETWEEN HERCULES AND GERION (Tim Behrens & Xosé Espona) It can only be seen from the tower.

TOWER OF HERCULES PARK

HÉRCULES IN THE ARGONAUTS BOAT (Gonzalo Viana)

CARONTE (Ramón Conde)

DOOR OF THE TOWER (Francisco Leiro) Hercules fighting Gerion

THE END

IVÁN MARÍN SÁNCHEZ

ÁNGEL GARCÍA JIMÉNEZ

DEPARTAMENTOS DE LATÍN Y GRIEGO