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 |