Fuerte de Santa Cruz

“Whose grand castle is this anyway?” a young boy whispered, tugging at his mother’s skirt as they approached the imposing Fuerte de Santa Cruz. His mother smiled, “It’s not exactly a castle, mijo. It’s a fort, called Fuerte de Santa Cruz, or Castillogrande as some call it.” The Fuerte de Santa Cruz stood sentinel at the Punta del Judío, guarding the inner bay of Cartagena. Its construction, ordered by royal decree in 1608, began in 1626 under the direction of Cristóbal de Roda and Francisco de Murga, following the plans of Tiburcio Spanoqui. Initially designed with a square base, four corner bulwarks, a central arms yard, and a protective moat, the Fuerte de Santa Cruz played a vital role in Cartagena’s defense. However, the defensive strategy shifted when the Bocagrande entrance was closed in 1640. Attention turned to the Bocachica entrance, and in 1647, orders were given to dismantle the bay’s existing forts, including parts of Fuerte de Santa Cruz, to reuse the materials for the construction of San Luis de Bocachica. Castillogrande, however, stubbornly persisted until the devastating French attack led by Baron De Pointis in 1697, leaving it in ruins. Recognizing its strategic importance, Juan de Herrera y Sotomayor initiated the fort’s reconstruction in 1728. This proved a lengthy undertaking, remaining incomplete when Vernon attacked Cartagena in 1741. The fort suffered partial destruction again and was never fully rebuilt. The remaining structure endured further indignities. Its remnants were used for artillery ammunition until a tragic explosion in a Navy munitions depot in 1938 destroyed its vaults. Today, only fragments of the rampart near the port and a few other vestiges remain. These are now incorporated into the facilities of the Colombian Navy’s Officers’ Club, whispering tales of sieges, resilience, and a history etched in stone and gunpowder.