Santa Cruz Fort, Military fort on Mount Murdjadjo in Oran, Algeria.
Santa Cruz is a military installation on Mount Murdjadjo near Oran in Algeria, standing at 169 meters elevation with defensive walls, watchtowers and casemates. The architecture shows thick stone walls with embrasures and bastions facing the sea and the bay below.
Spanish troops built the installation between 1577 and 1604 to secure the port of Oran against Ottoman attacks. After several changes of control, the stronghold remained a strategic point along the North African coast.
The chapel built in 1850 emerged from gratitude after an epidemic and still reflects the city's deep religious ties to the mountain. Pilgrims and visitors light candles and join in prayers, turning the site into a place of quiet devotion.
Access follows winding paths that climb the mountain and can be tiring in warm weather. Sturdy footwear is advisable as some sections are uneven and the sun offers little shade.
The walls contain a mixture of iron, wood, sand and lime carried up steep paths during construction. Workers hauled the material on their backs and with pack animals, making the build last for decades.
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