 18th Century Map of watchtowers on coast |
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Torrebermeja old watchtower of Benalmadena
Torrebermeja watchtower of Benalmadena is moorish origin and one of the oldest on the coast. Located at the entrance to Benalmadena Marina.
The tower is built with masonry and has a diameter of 3.33 meters and a height of 10 meters. The shape of this tower is cylindrical. Its roof is constructed with brick vault. There is an interior staircase to go up to the roof. The double impost of coronation and the ravelin of the base, characteristic of this tower, are of Christian epoch.
This tower is one of the oldest ones on the coast. It is of Moorish origin, constructed by the Nasrid dynasty of Granada sometime between 1250 and 1399.
By the mid 1500s the hight level entrance opening and part of its masonry suffered serious damage from the vibrations caused by the wind. Pedro de la Chica (the mason who rebuilt the Torre Quebrada), added a ravelin or conical reinforcement around 1570 to the base of the tower. This can be clearly seen today.
After the construction of the Benalmádena Marina (inaugurated in 1982) the tower lost its position facing the sea. The tower was dismantled and reconstructed in its present position at the entrance to the Marina close to Sea Life Aquarium.
The current state of conservation today is good. Nowadays there no entrance in the north face as there was in the original tower. This was removed in the rebuild for added stability. The tower has just one small opening or window on the south side, kept to ventilate the interior which is now inaccessible.
Located on a roundabout just at the entrance to Benalmadena Marina.
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.
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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 at the entranc eto the Marina.
Location
Located on a roundabout just at the entrance to Benalmadena Marina.
