Tower of Hercules, Spain

A testament to the engineering skills of the Roman Empire, this 180-foot tower on Spain’s North Atlantic coast is the only lighthouse from that era still used for maritime signaling. Built in the late 1st century and located at a strategic defense and trade base, the lighthouse has been extensively renovated through the years. The Romans who conquered this region of Spain knew it as “Finisterra,” meaning “the end of the Earth.” What the Romans didn’t know about geography, they made up for with their feats of engineering prowess in this resilient structure overlooking the “Coast of Death,” so named for the many shipwrecks in the area. [Source]