# Travel >> Destinations >> Europe

Historical Monuments & Sites in Spain

In addition to beautiful beaches, cutting-edge cuisine and famous museums, Spain is a fascinating country to visit if you love history. Second to Italy, Spain has 36 United Nations World Heritage sites, which are chosen for their cultural importance to humanity. Due to the different dominant cultures in Spain across the centuries, you can visit sites with Arabic, Roman and Christian influences. Visit the Columbus Monument to learn about Columbus' voyages to the new world, climb up the Roman Tower of Hercules for a panoramic view along the Coast of Death or stroll through the Alhambra, the stunning Moorish palace to see what it would have been like to live as royalty in real world "1001 Arabian Nights."

Columbus Monument
- Located in Barcelona, Spain, at the point where Columbus returned after his first voyage to America in 1493, this large tower, known as the Monument a Colun in Catalan, stands 197 feet looking over Barcelona Harbor. At the top of the monument is a 24-foot tall bronze statue of Christopher Columbus pointing toward the New World. You can ride the small elevator to the top of the monument for a stunning view over Barcelona. At the base of the tower, look at the statuary to walk through scenes from Columbus' life and voyages.
  
  Columbus Monument
  Plaça del Portal de la Pau
  Barcelona 08004
  +24-93-302-52-24
Tower of Hercules
- Along the Atlantic Costa de Morte, Coast of Death, in Galacia in Northwestern Spain, the Tower of Hercules is a lighthouse built by the Romans in the 1st century. According to Roman myths, this is where Hercules defeated the giant Geryon after three days of battle. The lighthouse was built on the buried skull and bones of the giant. Today, this lighthouse in the only one in the world built by Romans that is still in use. It stands 185 feet high, and you can climb to the top for a small fee. The tower was added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
  
  Tower of Hercules
  Corunna, Spain 15002
  whc.unesco.org/en/list/1312
Alhambra
- Located in the city of Granada in Andalusia, the Alhambra is one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 13th century as the royal residence for the Muslim rulers of Spain, this large castle, fortress and gardens also contain Christian elements when it became the palace of Charles V in the 16th century. This blending of Christian and Islam architecture and features makes the Alhambra a fascinating place to visit. For Americans, the Alhambra is the setting for Washington Irving's famous book, "Tales of Alhambra" based on when he lived in the palace in the 18th century. The Alhambra is Spain's most popular tourist attraction, with over 2 million visitors a year, but only 5,000 tickets are sold a day, so book early if you plan to visit.
  
  Alhambra
  Palacio de Carlos V
  Granada, Spain 18697
  +34-958-22-52-26
  alhambra.org/eng/index.asp?secc=/inicio

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Europe