Coastal Battery at Cap de l`Horta

 Coastal Battery at Cap de l`Horta

Built during the Civil War near the lighthouse (faro) on the point at the southern end of San Juan de Alicant.

The lighthouse as it looked in 1930

The lighthouse is built on the site of a 16th Century watch tower (one on many which can be found along the coast). The Torre de la Alcodra - also known as the Torre del cap de l`Horta was totally destroyed to make way for the first lighthouse which began operation in 1856.

Image borrowed from Google Maps

During the Civil War four concrete emplacements were constructed, two open circular gun emplacements, a command/control bunker and an observation/targeting bunker. The first three are still visible in the Google image above in the top right alongside the road. But the last has been used as a foundation for the new lighthouse, you can just make out the semicircle just to the right infront of  lighthouse.

You can make out the semicircle of the observation bunker below the lighthouse in this image

The battery (No9 of the Southern Coastal group) was intended to defend the northern approach to Alicante port. 

Each gun pit was 15 feet in diameter and had a Krupp 150mm cannon (model 1875) are connected by an underground tunnel; they also have ammunition storage bunkers. 

The battery was garrisoned by: 2 officers, 1 sargento, 9 corporals and 51 men, these men were housed in the various buildings of the lighthouse and the bunkers.

Krupp 150mm model 1875

Maximum range of 7,500 meters very old and outdated by the Civil War in fact the weapons probably participated in the battles of the Third Carlist War!!

Today the battery is closed off within the boundery of the lighthouse and not accessable to the public unfortunately. The command bunker is visible from the access road.

It is also visible from the coastal path

Because of their design and position in defilade, hidden from the sea, only one of the gun pits is visible in its position near the entrance gate to the lighthouse.

 I`d like to thank José Manuel of the Historia Miliitar Guerra Civil y Guerra de Marruecos (1920-26) FB group for his input.