Torre de Cope en Águilas (Región de Murcia, España). Análisisintegral y musealización de una torre del siglo XVI para la defensadel litoral murciano

• Pedro Enrique Collado-Espejo ^[1] ; Josefina García-León ^[1] ; José Méndez-Abellán ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena

     Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena

     Cartagena, España

     
  2. [2] Patrimonio Inteligente SL, Lorca, España
• Localización: FORTMED2023. Defensive architecture of the mediterranean : vol. XIII, XIV, XV / Marco Giorgio Bevilacqua (dir. congr.), Denise Ulivieri (aut.), 2023, ISBN 978-84-1396-129-3, págs. 517-524
• Idioma: español
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • Cope Tower, in Águilas (Region of Murcia, Spain), is part of the extensive defensive system made up of coastal surveillance and defense towers, designed and built in the 16th century, for the defense of the Mediterranean coastline. This tower, built in 1573 by order of the Council of Lorca and a few meters from the shore of the sea, had the function of protecting the shepherds of the area and, especially, the fishermen, since in this part of the coast there was an abundance of fishing and tuna traps, in addition to having several sources of fresh water. For this reason, the tower suffered numerous attacks from Barbary pirates. Initially it was a free-standing tower, with a square floor plan and the characteristics of this type of defensive tower. In 1663, the tower is in ruins and must be rebuilt. It is transformed by adding a ravelin or exterior wall, with a trapezoidal plan, and two small circular towers at the ends, forming an irregular polygon whose shorter side faces the sea. The successive reforms, especially in 1702 and 1801, would only affect the interior distribution of the complex. The tower, owned by the municipality, is in a good state of conservation in the main body, while the rest (ravellin and circular towers) only have the start of the walls. It is located north of Cabo Cope, within the limits of the Cabo Cope and Puntas de Calnegre Regional Park, so its musealization would allow it to be definitively integrated into this significant natural, landscape and cultural environment. For this reason, a comprehensive analysis of the Tower has been carried out, completed with a museum proposal, with exhibition panels, to make it accessible and show the visitor the importance of this tower and its role in the defensive system of the Murcian coast over the centuries. XVI to XVIII.