Galeras Fort

Galeras Fort, locally known as Fuerte de Galeras, lies on a mountain next to the city of Cartagena in the province of Murcia in Spain.

Cartagena was founded in the 3rd century BC by the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal the Fair. It was built at the site of a natural harbor. As far back as the 16th century it was one of the most important naval ports of Spain. During the 18th century the city was heavily fortified, which resulted in the building of lots of forts and batteries on the hills and mountains around the harbor. At present the city is still the headquarters and main military port, also for submarines, of the Spanish Navy and it possesses a large military shipyard.

Plans to fortify this, 219 meters high, mountain date back to the 16th century. Galeras Fort however was built between the mid-18th century and 1777 by the Croatian military engineer Mateo Wodopich. It was designed by the military engineer Pedro Martín-Paredes Cermeño in the style of eclectic Neoclassicism according to the principles of the Frenchified Spanish School. It had to guard the Military Arsenal of Cartagena and was connected to the city walls. It is situated on a mountain between Atalaya Fort to the north and the Fajardo Battery to the south.

The quadrangular fort saw action during both the Peninsular War, between 1808-1814, and the Cantonal Revolution in 1873-74. In the 20th century it gradually lost its military importance but still served as a military prison.

At present Galeras Fort is still military property and thus not accessible. It seems to be used as a lighthouse and for telecommunication. The mountain itself is also signposted as a military area, although it is freely accessible. Too bad it can not be visited, it looks very promising.

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