Cope Tower

Cope Tower, locally known as Torre de Cope, stands next to the sea, east of the town of Calabardina in the province of Murcia in Spain.

Ever since the Turkish settlement in Algiers in 1516, the entire coast of the Spanish Mediterranean was threatened by attacks of Barbary pirates who landed on the coast and ravaged and looted towns and rural settlements, taking away the inhabitants as slaves. So, in 1552, during the reign of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, lots of defensive watchtowers were started being built along the coast, from Alicante down to Cádiz. Most however were built or completed during the reign of his son, Philip II of Spain, during the second half of the 16th century.

Cope Tower was founded in 1530 but only completed in 1574. It was guarded by 3 or 4 guards with only some small caliber weapons. This defense turned out to be too weak, because several times the guards were captured during repeated pirate attacks. At the end of the 16th century the tower was in ruins due to the attacks.

In 1663 Cope Tower was rebuilt to its present appearance. It has a peculiar triangular ground plan. In the early 1990s it was restored.

At present the exterior of Cope Tower can freely be visited. The tower was closed when I visited. I don't know if it is ever open. A nice tower on a nice beach.

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