Conversation with Ana Santorun Ardone on the Tower of Hercules

Ana Santorun Ardone discusses her role as director of the UNESCO-listed Tower of Hercules in A Coruña. She offers her insightful opinion on why contemporary oral narratives have not developed around the Tower of Hercules today. The discussion focuses on how several aspects, such as the monument's urban integration and a movement of myth rationalisation, prevented the formation of popular legends, unlike rural sites with sufficient communities for oral tradition and cultural performances.The conversation addresses practical research resources and academic networks, with Ana Santorun providing key scholarly contacts and confirming her authorship of the Tower's website content. She describes the important role of A Coruña's citizens in the UNESCO nomination process and the subsequent attempts to revive an association about the lighthouse.The conversation also addresses current institutional priorities, including perception studies, whilst clarifying routine UNESCO administrative procedures regarding documentation and guidelines for the site.