Castillo de Guardias Viejas

El Ejido, Spain, Spain

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Castillo de Guardias Viejas is an 18th-century coastal fortress on a rocky promontory near the sea in Guardias Viejas, El Ejido, Almería province, Andalusia, Spain, designed by military engineer José Crame starting in 1769 under King Carlos III to counter corsair raids and foreign threats with 24-pound cannons.

Built as part of Granada's coastal defense network, it coordinated fire with the nearby Torre de Balerma to the west while covering levante approaches, housed a cavalry garrison patrolling from Punta del Sabinar to Balanegra, but was partially destroyed by British forces in 1808-1814 to deny French use and rebuilt in 1817.

Fully restored in 1980 and declared a Bien de Interés Cultural in 1985, it now operates as a museum showcasing Napoleonic-era uniforms and weapons alongside summer cultural events amid scenic beachfront views.