Santa Cruz Fort is one of the three forts in Oran, the second largest port city of algeria the other two forts are Fort de la Moune at the western end of the port and Fort Saint-Philippe, a replacement of the old castle of the Saints known in spanish as Castillo de los Santos, at the centre of Oran. The three forts are connected by tunnels. Fort Santa Cruz was built between 1577 and 1604 by the SPANIARDS on the Pic d’Aidour above gulf of oran in the Mediterranean sea, at an elevation of above 400 metres (1,312 ft). In 1831, the French envahied Oran and the fort till 1962.