Lately, I have been visiting the old Estaca de Bares Radar Station very frequently. This military settlement was a U.S. radar surveillance station integrated into NATO’s air defense network during the Cold War. From here, the airspace over the North Atlantic was monitored and early warning was provided in the event of possible incursions.
Today, it is a completely abandoned place, despite having been purchased by the local council in 2019 with the intention of giving it a cultural and tourist use. Unfortunately, this was not its final destination, as the station continues to deteriorate and, as the years go by, its structure gradually disappears, turning that project into little more than a chimera.
And it is a shame, because this place is one of those spaces that, without fully understanding why, possesses a unique attraction and charm. The strength and raw nature of the site, the mystery surrounding its crumbling walls, the history forged within it, or the simple beauty of its surroundings shape this place into one of the most authentic and singular along the Galician coast. There, time seems to follow its own rhythm, and I would even dare to say that, at times, it disappears altogether. When you pause in that place and allow yourself to be carried by its presence, the world simply fades away, and all that remains is the space itself, its silence, its solitude, its decaying walls, its declining rooms, the rugged vegetation surrounding the structure, the sea lost in a vast horizon, and the scent of salt in the air that permeates everything. A place with no problems, no haste, no worries, no past or future. A place that simply is.
On one of the occasions when I visited it with my camera, after walking around the site several times, I stopped in front of that window. The first image that came to my mind was that of a soldier standing exactly where I was, looking through the window, contemplating that view without views, surrendering to the intimacy and simplicity of the scene. Perhaps, in his mind, a faint longing for his homeland emerged, or a tender feeling for those he loved. Or perhaps he simply forgot everything and freed his mind for a brief moment before continuing with the duties of the day.
I believe that this small window perfectly channels the magic of the place. Within it, there is no horizon, no future, no problems, no worries. There is only the present, direct feeling, and an immediate connection with reality. Few places can claim such a capacity, such a power, and this one, with all its humility and simplicity, manages to touch the soul and merge it with its essence. A unique place that, beyond its abandonment, resists disappearing and falling into oblivion.
