Fort Santa Cruz

Fort Santa Cruz overlooks Oran from a strategic position on Jebel Murdjadjo	Fort Santa Cruz was built by the Spanish 1577-1604	The Ottomans were the first ones to fortify Jebel Murdjadjo	The Spanish held Oran until 1792
The French occupied Oran in 1831	Fort Santa Cruz sits at an elevation of 400m	Side view of Fort Santa Cruz from the road to the summit of Jebel Murdjadjo	Fort Santa Cruz
For Santa Cruz from the summit of Jebel Murdjadjo (Pic d'Aidour)	The fort was damaged by the 1791 earthquake and repaired by the French military engineers 1854-1860	The Algerian government restored Fort Santa Cruz and it is now open to tourists	Fort Santa Cruz, Oran
Fort Santa Cruz, Oran	Supposedly, each of the forts protecting Oran is linked to the others through underground passages	Fort Santa Cruz sits just above the Church of Santa Cruz	Fort Santa Cruz, Oran
Fort Santa Cruz, Oran	Aloe plant on the rocky slopes beneath Fort Santa Cruz	The Chinese have been here - graffiti on a prickly pear cactus near Fort Santa Cruz	Climbing the path from the church to Fort Santa Cruz
Fort Santa Cruz	Sharp angle of the in the wall leading to the entrance	The trail leading up to Fort Santa Cruz	Fort Santa-Cruz, construit au XVIe Siècle par l'Armée Espagnole. Restauré de 1854 à 1860 par le Génie Militaire Français
The main gate to Fort Santa Cruz	The Church of Santa Cruz from the fort	Panoramic view of the entrance to Fort Santa Cruz	Inner entrance, Fort Santa Cruz
Interior, Fort Santa Cruz	Fort Santa Cruz	View from Fort Santa Cruz to the south	Southern terrace, Fort Santa Cruz
Fort Santa Cruz with a view of the Mediterranean Sea	Fort Santa Cruz with purple flowers growing in the walls	Southern face, Fort Santa Cruz	Main gallery, Fort Santa Cruz
Fort Santa Cruz with the Chapel of the Virgin	Algerian flag, Fort Santa Cruz	Algerian flag flying over Oran from Fort Santa Cruz	Looking down on the main entrance, Fort Santa Cruz
Fort face of Fort Santa Cruz with Mars El Kebir	Fort Santa Cruz - interior	Fort Santa Cruz - interior	French toilets, Fort Santa Cruz
On top of Fort Santa Cruz	View from the top of Fort Santa Cruz	Prickly pear cactus, Fort Santa Cruz	Fort Santa Cruz from the base of Jebel Murdjadjo