Castelo de Santo Antón

Spain, Spain

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Castelo de Santo Antón is a 16th-century coastal fortress located on a small island at the entrance to A Coruña's harbor in Galicia, northwestern Spain.

Construction began in 1587 under the Marquis of Cerralbo using stones from the city's old walls and the Torre de Hércules staircase, following an Italian-inspired design adapted for island defense, but was interrupted by Francis Drake's 1589 raid before completion in 1590 by engineer Tiburcio Spanochio under Philip II, adding troop quarters, a cistern, and a defensive gate tower.

Used as a prison from 1756 until 1888 and later abandoned, the restored structure now functions as an archaeological museum displaying Galician prehistory and maritime artifacts amid its robust bastioned walls and panoramic bay views.