Punta de Orchilla (Lighthouse & Historic Prime Meridian)

The westernmost point of El Hierro and, by historical definition, the westernmost point of the known world before the European discovery of the Americas. Punta de Orchilla was designated the **Prime Meridian (Meridiano Cero)** by King Louis XIII of France in 1634, a status it held until the international adoption of the Greenwich Meridian in 1884–1885. A monument and plaque at the lighthouse commemorate this historical significance. The current **Faro de Punta de Orchilla** lighthouse, a striking red-and-white striped tower built in 1933, stands on the windswept lava plain at the island's western tip. The drive to Punta de Orchilla is itself an experience — the road (HI-500 and HI-55) winds through the dramatic volcanic landscapes of La Dehesa, past El Sabinar (see above), before reaching the westernmost asphalt in Spanish territory. At sunset, this is one of the most evocative spots in the Canary Islands — you stand at the "edge of the world" watching the sun sink into the vast Atlantic. The area around Punta de Orchilla is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and has been proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Paisaje Cultural de El Hierro" (Cultural Landscape of El Hierro). Free access, though the final stretch of road is rough — drive carefully.