Santa Cruz de la Mar Pequeña, Archaeological site in Tarfaya Province, Morocco.
Santa Cruz de la Mar Pequeña is an archaeological site on the north shore of Naila lagoon in Tarfaya Province, southern Morocco, within Khenifiss National Park. Only the octagonal foundation of a tower and scattered stone remnants remain visible on the sandy shore today.
Diego de Herrera founded this Spanish trading post in 1478 to secure commerce along the West African coast. In 1524, Saadi forces took the settlement, ending Spanish presence there.
The name "Mar Pequeña" means "Small Sea" and refers to the shallow lagoon that separates the site from the open coast. Visitors today can walk around the visible octagonal tower base, which sits right at the water's edge.
The site is near Akhfennir and easiest to reach in drier months when sand tracks are more stable. The area is open and remote, so carrying enough water and sun protection is a good idea before setting out.
For centuries the exact location was unknown, and many assumed it was near Sidi Ifni, far to the north. Researchers only confirmed the ruins at Foum Agoutir in 1980, overturning all previous assumptions about where the post had stood.
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