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The tower from which Torre de la Horadada takes its name is now primarily an eye-catcher on a piece of rock near the Mediterranean Sea. For a long time, the striking, circular building had a much more important function. It was a watchtower to warn residents of approaching pirates. Between the 13th and 17th century, raids by Berber pirates from North Africa were commonplace along the coast of southeastern Spain.
Since the tower's construction in 1591, the tower has been part of a large defense structure along the entire coastal strip. The pirates' attacks were brutal and perilous. They had catered for livestock, harvested and did not even hesitate to kidnap people. For centuries the fear was so in the population that the coast remained incredibly sparsely populated.
The attacks initially had a simple explanation. When the Christians expelled the Moorish rulers to the interior of Spain after a six-century occupation, the Moorish stragglers were left a simple choice. They had to leave and give up their home and existence or they could convert to Christianity. Many of the people who chose the first option wanted revenge. Piracy was a natural consequence.
Eventually peace returned and the tower lost its reason for existence. After a short period in the 19th century, it was the place to 'send' messages with flags to seafarers. At the end of the 19th century, the tower was sold at auction to the Count of Roche, who added a part and used the building as a residence.
Now it is mainly an eye-catching marking between the marina on one side and the Playa del Conde on the other.
