San Juan de las Águilas Castle, Aguilas, Spain

San Juan de las Águilas Castle dates from the 18th century, although its origins go back to the Carthaginian period. After the expulsion of the Arabs, the castle was abandoned.

Its reconstruction was tackled at a later date but not quite successfully until King Charles I of Spain (1530) ordered, by Royas Decree, ist rebuilding with the aim of guarding the coastal strip between Vera and Mazarrón, which was threatened by Turkish and Algerian raids. The building work on this castle was tackled again in 1579, under the reing of Philip II. The Torre de las Aguilas (The Eagles Tower) was built in this period. Its last remodelling would be undertaken under Charles III (in the 18th century), who decided to extend the fortress due to the town's incresing population and the constant Berber attacks to which the port and its population were subjected.

This new remodelling turned it into one of the best fortified castles of this period.Currently, there are very few remains of the splendour of this fortress. A coat of arms, where Castile¿s lions might be represented, can still be observed in one of the preserved façades. Recent excavations have revealed underground passages in the surrounding area, which, according to popular beliefs, used to connect this castle with another fortress of the municipality, the Castle of Tébar. In addition to the fortress, also of tourist interest is the panoramic sight of the city of Aguilas that can be admired from its location.It was restored in 2007 and opened as a museum in 2009.

References:

murciaturistica.es

Castles and fortifications in Spain

Bengtskär Lighthouse

Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.

German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.

After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.

Edwin Brauns (2 years ago)
Nice , clean castle ?a lot of stairs

Brian Cross (2 years ago)
Small castle but on a hill with great views all round. Only €2 entrance. There is a lift but it wasn't working when we were there. It closes for lunch at 1:30, last ticket sold 30 minutes before closing. It's a long walk up if you get there too late! Pensioners are free entrance!

kasper fens (3 years ago)
For €2 you can get great views of the city.

Rob Mimi (3 years ago)
Interesting place, good view

Felix Capili (3 years ago)
Great view of the beach, port and of whole Aguilas from the castle.

San Juan de las Águilas Castle

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