Castle of La Herradura

Nowadays, the Bay of La Herradura is a quiet place but in the 18th century the area was the scene of incursions and disembarkations by pirates and privateers, so in 1764, Charles III ordered the construction of a defensive castle-fort, La Herradura which connected the watchtowers of Cerro Gordo and Punta de la Mona.

The castle of La Herradura was used by the army until 1839 when, as soon as piracy had been stamped out, it was ceded to the carabineers, whose mission was to guarantee the security and surveillance of the coasts and borders and prevent smuggling operations. After the Carabineers were disbanded in 1940, it was occupied by the Civil Guard, who used it as residential barracks until 2003. It was acquired by the City Council two years later and its restoration was placed in the hands of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC). It was opened to the public in March 2010.