Roldán Battery

Roldán Battery

Clinging to a mountain, this Spanish fortress fired over 600 shots during the Spanish Civil War, leaving only hidden command and firing positions for hikers to discover.

Standing 485 meters above sea level, the Spanish fortress of Roldán Battery has been abandoned since 1965. Constructed in 1926 as part of the defensive perimeter of the strategic port of Cartagena, it has remained on the Red List of Endangered Heritage and is part of the Sierra de la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso, and Roldán Conservation Areas. The fortress, also known as C-51, consists of four linear barbetas shielded by an antemural. Its command and firing positions are almost entirely subterranean, hidden by stone conglomerates. During the Spanish Civil War, it fired over 600 shots between April 1937 and July 1938.

Take a hike to uncover its current state, and a glimpse of its past.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Written by Nik Frost

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