J-4 Abandoned Coastal Artillery Battery

On the headland above the castle, remnants of a Franco-era coastal artillery battery are slowly being reclaimed by weeds and graffiti. The concrete gun emplacements and the associated bunkers and tunnels were built in the mid-twentieth century to defend the ría against naval attack. They were in use as recently as the 1980s and are in a state of photogenic decay.

Access is informal — no fence, no ticket, no interpretation. The site rewards those who like industrial ruins and has excellent sea views. Combined with the Monterreal fortress walls, it makes for a good walk around the entire headland.

things to do sight
A story
The J-4 battery was part of Spain's coastal defence network built during the Franco era and was operational until the 1980s. The guns were pointed toward the mouth of the Ría de Vigo — the same stretch of water that the original Pinta sailed through on her return from the Americas. The fortifications were quietly abandoned when Spain joined NATO and the coastal artillery mission was deemed obsolete.