Visit Coruña

The Castle of San Antón (castillo de San Antón) is one of the most interesting monuments of the city of La Coruña, in the Spanish region of Galicia. This old fortress was built between the 16th and the 17th century, in a small island of the Bay of La Coruña, to defend the city against attacks coming from the sea. During the English assault by Francis Drake in 1589, the castle effectively served to defend the entrance to the city. Today, the castle is the venue for the archeology and history museum of la Coruña (Museo Arqueológico e Histórico), opened in October 1968. In the castle's groundfloor you'll find an exhibition of different items from the prehistory and old history of Galicia, most of these objects come from archeological sites of the region. The collection of gold and silver works is especially interesting with important objects such as a bronce helmet of Leiro, the "treasure" of Elviña or the necklaces and tiaras of Cícere. On the upper floor you'll find the Middle and Modern Ages collections, a variety of objects remembering important facts of the history of La Coruña, such as the expeditions of the Spanish invincible Army, the attack to the coast of La Coruña by Drake in 1589, the local heroine María Pita, captain Juan Varela, and many other important figures of the history of the city. Also in this floor is located the House of the Governor (Casa del Gobernador), built in the 18th century, by the engineer Antonio López Sopeña. and the chapel of the Virgen del Rosario, the patron virgin of the city.