Torre de Cope, a 16th century watchtower in Águilas

The Torre de Cope was used until the 19th century to defend the Águilas coast

The Torre de Cope is a 16th-century watchtower on the low ground beneath the headland of Cabo Cope in the east of the municipality of Águilas, and was originally one of those built in order to provide advance warning to local inhabitants of imminent raids by the Berbers who lived in the northern coastal regions of Africa.

Torre de Cope, a 16th century watchtower in Águilas The raiders from Africa were largely responsible for parts of the coast of Murcia remaining relatively unpopulated at that time, and they often took local shepherds and fishermen prisoner during their attacks.

King Carlos I first issued instructions to the local government of Lorca for a tower to be built in the area of Cope in 1539, but it was not until 1568 that Felipe II commissioned Vespasiano I Gonzaga to re-design all of the coastal defences in Cartagena, the Kingdoms of Murcia and Valencia and the African ports of Oran and Mazalquivir. Gonzaga was accompanied in his mission by the military engineer Juan Bautista Antonelli, who was also responsible for the design of the Torre Santa Elena in La Azohía, and by the end of 1574 the existing tower at Cope had been enlarged.

Torre de Cope, a 16th century watchtower in Águilas Although it’s hard to appreciate nowadays, the original structure had merlons and cranellations as well as arrowslits, and a machicolation was placed over the entrance to aid the defence of the tower. Despite these features, though, several of the attacks made on the tower were successful (one of them in 1578), and changes were needed: thus, in approximately 1663 a mini fortress was added at the base of the tower.

Successive modifications were made over the following years, the last of them in 1801.

For many years the tower was permanently manned by a team of three or four men, but as the threat of raids by the Berbers (or attacks by Castilian, French and Italian forces) diminished it gradually fell into disuse.

When it was partially restored at the end of the 20th century the fortress of the 17th century was included in the project, but unfortunately nowadays visitors cannot climb to the top to admire the views which the watchmen would have had over the Gulf of Mazarrón which lies to the east.

The Torre de Cope stands within the boundaries of the Cabo Cope y Puntas de Calnegre natural park, just east of the town of Calabardina, and is easily reached in around fifteen minutes on the RM-D14 and RM-D15 roads from Águilas. Those approaching from the north should leave the AP-7 motorway at kilometre 866 and head south on the RM-D20 and RM-D14 before taking the RM-D15 towards the coast.

For further information visit the Águilas town page.