The haunting story of Los Moros Castle

The Castle of Los Moros is a haunting reminder of another time, a once formidable fortress now a symbol of Cartagena's neglect. Perched atop a hill in the Santa Lucía neighborhood, it was strategically important for the defense of the city during the War of Spanish Succession. The castle was built under the direction of Croatian engineer Mateo Vodopich between 1773 and 1778.

In 1925, a proposal to place the city jail in the Castle of Los Moros was made but was eventually abandoned. By 1929, the castle was taken over by the City of Cartagena, and since then, it has been neglected with a prolonged state of deterioration.

In August 2014, the Castle of Los Moros was included in the Lista roja de patrimonio en peligro (Red List of Endangered Heritage) of the organization Hispania Nostra. In February 2015, the cultural association El Pinacho proposed the establishment of a foundation to restore the monument and integrate it into the Cartagena tourist circuit.

The Castle of Los Moros stands at an altitude of 56 meters above sea level. It follows the parameters of the neoclassicism of the French-influenced Spanish school. It was designed to protect the ocean-facing front of the Hospital of the Navy and at the same time the San José Gates, one of the three monumental entryways into the old city.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons