Atalaya de Cala Higuera

Atalaya de Cala Higuera stands on a 224-meter hilltop at Punta de los Frailes near San José in Níjar, Almería, overlooking the anchorages of San José and Los Genoveses. Built in the 16th century as part of the Nasrid Kingdom's defensive system, this cone-shaped tower of masonry construction was integrated into the 18th-century coastal fortification network established by King Charles III. After suffering fire damage and ruination by 1847, it underwent restoration in 1941 for coastal surveillance and became part of Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in 1987. The tower communicates the strategic importance of maritime defense along Andalusia's rugged coastline.