 18th Century Map of watchtowers on coast |
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Torrequebrada, old watchtower of Benalmadena
This tower is one of the oldest ones on the coast. It is of Moorish origin, constructed by the Nasrid dynasty of Granada sometime around 1380.
Torrequebrada, old watchtower of Benalmadena is located on an isolated hill, surrounded by urbanizaciones, overlooking the Torrequebrada headland 220m from the sea.
The tower is built with masonry and has a perimeter of 17.60 metres and a height of 9 meters. The shape of this tower is conical. Its roof is constructed with brick vault. There is an interior staircase to go up to the roof.
It has a solid lower body and a the chamber is badly deteriorated. The access on the north side is located at a height of more than 5 meters from the ground. T This room has another small opening in south side. An interior staircase leads up to the roof, which is protected with a uniform parapet finished off with sardinel, although it is now incomplete. It also has holes in the parapet from where the original machicolations were located.
Its work is of masonry, but includes brickwork in the access opening and in the construction of the interior vaulted roof.
This tower appears in the old documentation as a Nasrid inheritance (13th-14th century), but its poor state of preservation at the beginning of the 1500s which lead to its reconstruction. Fifty years later it was in ruins, so it was ordered to be rebuilt again in 1567.
Coastal Watchtowers
There have been about 200 watchtowers or forts build along the coast of Southern Spain. All with the purpose of looking out for invaders from the South. Some of the watchtowers seen today are Moorish origins, mainly constructed by the Nasrid dynasty of Granada after 1250. Most of the present wachtowers were constructed around 1575
Over half the towers constructed have lasted to the present day; both due to their remarkable solid construction and due to being in use up to the middle of the 20th century. There are about 10 different architectural constructions. The towers that are Moorish are identified from being cylindrical or rectangular in shape with vertical walls, whereas the majority were constructed (or reconstructed) in the major coastal defence programme of King Filipe II in 1575 are slightly conical in shape.
After 1518 attacks by Barbary pirates, (also known as Barbary corsairs, or Ottoman corsairs) based in North Africa and acting on behalf of the Ottoman Sultan. Initially the pirate raids concentrated on shipping but escalating to land raids. They were slave-hunters, and their methods were ferocious, capturing young people for the Ottoman slave trade.
Read the full account of the Coastal watchtowers.
Benalmadena Watchtowers
Benalmadena has three watchtowers and one fort that remains to this day. From west to east.
Torre Vigía de Torremuelle in Torremuelle district.
Torre de Torrequebrada in Torrequebrada district.
Torre Bermeja on Avenida del Alay.
Location
Torrequebrada, old watchtower of Benalmadena is located on an isolated hill overlooking the Torrequebrada headland.
