The unfinished fort built by Napoleon's army

Santoña occupied a strategic geographic position that made it a natural gateway to the bay. Despite this importance, the area lacked proper defense for many centuries. Starting in the 16th century, there was awareness of how poorly protected the plaza was. For centuries, the coastal area suffered multiple attacks, and the population lived with great concern as their city was invaded and ravaged repeatedly.

Although the coast suffered multiple attacks starting in 1635, the construction of necessary defenses moved at a sluggish pace. Notable structures such as the San Martín and San Carlos forts were built in 1689 to protect the entrance to the bay. A significant shift occurred in the 19th century when the army of Napoleon occupied the town. The General Jefe del Ejército Francés en el Norte de España saw that a well-fortified Santoña could be an impregnable military position.

Marie François Auguste de Caffarelli du Falga, the General Jefe del Ejército Francés en el Norte de España, communicated this to Napoleon, who gave the go-ahead for the necessary works to be executed without regard for expenses. They built the Fuerte de Mazo to protect the northern part of the population and the beach of Berria. This fort was never finished and houses a watchtower that is unique in Cantabria.

We can now visit these ruins as protected monuments. These locations allow for a deep study of an era where the roles of the protector and the occupier became inextricably linked. Protected by the heritage laws of Cantabria, these structures offer a look into the military history of the region where the 1000-man garrison once stood.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons