![Fort Santa Cruz overlooks Oran from a strategic position on Jebel Murdjadjo](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168444.NhNS5XRL.AlgeriaJun131877.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz overlooks Oran from a strategic position on Jebel Murdjadjo |
![Fort Santa Cruz was built by the Spanish 1577-1604](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168445.E3X0MgOt.AlgeriaJun131878.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz was built by the Spanish 1577-1604 |
![The Ottomans were the first ones to fortify Jebel Murdjadjo](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168446.8R70XgGF.AlgeriaJun131886.jpg) The Ottomans were the first ones to fortify Jebel Murdjadjo |
![The Spanish held Oran until 1792](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168447.VkfejjT6.AlgeriaJun131893.jpg) The Spanish held Oran until 1792 |
![The French occupied Oran in 1831](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168448.qdlL61f0.AlgeriaJun131909.jpg) The French occupied Oran in 1831 |
![Fort Santa Cruz sits at an elevation of 400m](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168449.ZaC1d4CQ.AlgeriaJun131910.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz sits at an elevation of 400m |
![Side view of Fort Santa Cruz from the road to the summit of Jebel Murdjadjo](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168450.oWfRnJfW.AlgeriaJun131916.jpg) Side view of Fort Santa Cruz from the road to the summit of Jebel Murdjadjo |
![Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168451.nMo6CtC4.AlgeriaJun131917.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz |
![For Santa Cruz from the summit of Jebel Murdjadjo (Pic d'Aidour)](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168452.T1lvbLAj.AlgeriaJun131919.jpg) 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](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168453.9w9mBSeQ.AlgeriaJun131920.jpg) 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](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168454.1r3z5suN.AlgeriaJun131921.jpg) The Algerian government restored Fort Santa Cruz and it is now open to tourists |
![Fort Santa Cruz, Oran](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168455.MtEexmKb.AlgeriaJun131938.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz, Oran |
![Fort Santa Cruz, Oran](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168456.Z9kNZZCe.AlgeriaJun131939.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz, Oran |
![Supposedly, each of the forts protecting Oran is linked to the others through underground passages](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168457.b7JnREEF.AlgeriaJun131940.jpg) 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](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168458.2mHpXWzq.AlgeriaJun131941.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz sits just above the Church of Santa Cruz |
![Fort Santa Cruz, Oran](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151169283.hQKghb9r.OranPanorama1944.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz, Oran |
![Fort Santa Cruz, Oran](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168459.5ZcQwtf6.AlgeriaJun131946.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz, Oran |
![Aloe plant on the rocky slopes beneath Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168460.ZcQy1UUR.AlgeriaJun131947.jpg) 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](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168461.tG6wvP0S.AlgeriaJun131948.jpg) 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](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168462.17KtrgDF.AlgeriaJun131949.jpg) Climbing the path from the church to Fort Santa Cruz |
![Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168463.XDlN4Cz8.AlgeriaJun131950.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz |
![Sharp angle of the in the wall leading to the entrance](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168464.VQjtn6uf.AlgeriaJun131954.jpg) Sharp angle of the in the wall leading to the entrance |
![The trail leading up to Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151169284.9FHAkPpb.OranPanorama1956.jpg) 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](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168465.fxLwWx6y.AlgeriaJun131959.jpg) 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](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168466.RqSK48Wz.AlgeriaJun131962.jpg) The main gate to Fort Santa Cruz |
![The Church of Santa Cruz from the fort](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168467.2djMchAV.AlgeriaJun131963.jpg) The Church of Santa Cruz from the fort |
![Panoramic view of the entrance to Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151169285.xFrY2ms5.OranPanorama1966.jpg) Panoramic view of the entrance to Fort Santa Cruz |
![Inner entrance, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168468.qM8SIHg7.AlgeriaJun131969.jpg) Inner entrance, Fort Santa Cruz |
![Interior, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168469.btPUPhev.AlgeriaJun131970.jpg) Interior, Fort Santa Cruz |
![Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168470.q9dzKvc3.AlgeriaJun131971.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz |
![View from Fort Santa Cruz to the south](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168471.E6g2cKXA.AlgeriaJun131972.jpg) View from Fort Santa Cruz to the south |
![Southern terrace, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168472.LKVPkAzS.AlgeriaJun131973.jpg) Southern terrace, Fort Santa Cruz |
![Fort Santa Cruz with a view of the Mediterranean Sea](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168473.S5MWQBQm.AlgeriaJun131974.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz with a view of the Mediterranean Sea |
![Fort Santa Cruz with purple flowers growing in the walls](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168474.tVLJ5u4F.AlgeriaJun131975.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz with purple flowers growing in the walls |
![Southern face, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168475.vT0RgzJB.AlgeriaJun131976.jpg) Southern face, Fort Santa Cruz |
![Main gallery, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168476.qDOow1zX.AlgeriaJun131978.jpg) Main gallery, Fort Santa Cruz |
![Fort Santa Cruz with the Chapel of the Virgin](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168477.s20QHvAI.AlgeriaJun131981.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz with the Chapel of the Virgin |
![Algerian flag, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168478.BKCVwJNt.AlgeriaJun131984.jpg) Algerian flag, Fort Santa Cruz |
![Algerian flag flying over Oran from Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168479.Zx9whOlq.AlgeriaJun131986.jpg) Algerian flag flying over Oran from Fort Santa Cruz |
![Looking down on the main entrance, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168480.RPZm05Ix.AlgeriaJun131990.jpg) Looking down on the main entrance, Fort Santa Cruz |
![Fort face of Fort Santa Cruz with Mars El Kebir](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168481.1USzzA31.AlgeriaJun131991.jpg) Fort face of Fort Santa Cruz with Mars El Kebir |
![Fort Santa Cruz - interior](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168482.pa8Tz7lM.AlgeriaJun132000.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz - interior |
![Fort Santa Cruz - interior](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168483.fTO6FxSS.AlgeriaJun132001.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz - interior |
![French toilets, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168484.LmpWDGUp.AlgeriaJun132005.jpg) French toilets, Fort Santa Cruz |
![On top of Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168485.dRYOA32G.AlgeriaJun132006.jpg) On top of Fort Santa Cruz |
![View from the top of Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168486.yBUPF4gh.AlgeriaJun132007.jpg) View from the top of Fort Santa Cruz |
![Prickly pear cactus, Fort Santa Cruz](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168487.XJOEb5OT.AlgeriaJun132015.jpg) Prickly pear cactus, Fort Santa Cruz |
![Fort Santa Cruz from the base of Jebel Murdjadjo](https://a4.pbase.com/o9/93/329493/1/151168488.Cxt17g4q.AlgeriaJun132028.jpg) Fort Santa Cruz from the base of Jebel Murdjadjo |