Historical context
Cartagena’s great importance as a military city dates back to the end of the 17th century, when, under the reign of Charles II, it became the winter base of the galley ship squadron. The immediate result was the construction of four defences around the mouth of the port that ensured that ships were protected: the Podadera and the Fuerte de Navidad on the right-hand side and Trincabotijas and Santa Ana on the left.
During the War of the Spanish Succession the stronghold was occupied by the English fighting on behalf of the pretender to the Spanish throne, Archduke Charles of Austria, although their occupation lasted only five months before the Duke of Berwick recovered it for Felipe V. It was under Felipe that Cartagena became the seat of the Maritime Department of the Mediterranean (1726); the awarding of this status led to the further consolidation of the city as a military base in the Mediterranean and was a turning point in the city’s history. This process of consolidation took place during the second half of the 18th century under King Carlos III with the construction of the principal military works of the city: the Arsenal, the Military Hospital, the walls and the fortifications of Galeras, Atalayas, San Julián and Moros.
In the 19th century Spain was mired in many wars and battles and the stronghold of Cartagena was heavily involved, especially in the Cantonal War (1873). The port and its defences were transformed, above all due to technological advances which brought with them a thorough renewal of the fortification systems. It was in this context that the O'Donnell Plan of 1860 was undertaken, including the renovation of the Fuerte de Navidad and other gun batteries belonging to the city.
The Fuerte de Navidad
The origin of the Fuerte de Navidad was the initial 17th-century construction of a small four-piece artillery platform. Its position meant that the line of fire crossed with that of the battery of Santa Ana, which, along with the batteries of Trincabotijas and Podadera, defended the entrance to the port. In the 19th century a new building was created, improving the defences of the old fortification: but technological advances soon rendered it obsolete in military terms and therefore in the early 20th century, it became the gun saluting battery of the port of Cartagena and remained in operation until 1941, when the last garrison departed.
It was designed by Spanish military engineers in the neoclassical style and equipped with casemates. The angular building forms a curve with the open side looking out to sea and is organized around a patio-corridor which gave access to the eight casemates, each of which contained an artillery piece. To protect them from the impact of projectiles a method known as bomb proof vaulting was employed: that is, above the vaults earth and stones were piled to a thickness of more than two metres. At the apex of the angle was the powder store, which contained stocks of gunpowder and the shells for the guns. The firepower was completed with nine other pieces located on the terrace, which were accessed via two spiral staircases. In the rear of the fortress were the other rooms used in the everyday life of the garrison of the fort, with kitchens, latrines and barracks.
Exploitation of the site
The restoration of the Fuerte de Navidad was the first in any element of the defence system of the Bay of Cartagena defence system. The fortress was left neglected until 2004, when the Ministry of Defence ceded it to the Town Hall of Cartagena Town Hall for use in tourism on condition that it should be restored. The restoration project began in 2004, based on a master plan for the entire bay, and was completed in 2007. Architects Francisco Javier Lopez and Ricardo Sanchez were commissioned to oversee the work.
During the restoration phase a thorough search of documentation was performed to establish the different historical phases and research and archaeological were conducted by José Antonio Martínez and David Munuera.
All of these actions were combined under the management of Cartagena Puerto de Culturas and culminated in the opening to the public of the Fuerte de Navidad in 2007.
The tour of the museum:
- Casemate 1. Reception and souvenir shop.
- Casemate 2. The port of Cartagena. A large model depicts the port and its defences in the 19th century.
- Casemate 3. Defensive systems of the port of Cartagena. A summary of the gun batteries and fortresses of the city and its coastline over the course of the centuries.
- Casemate 5. The Fuerte de Navidad. An audio visual showing the building and its history.
- Casemate 6. The artillery. An original 19th-century cannon provides the key to understanding the artillery of the age.
- Casemate 7. History and architecture. Models and information panels show the architecture of the fortress during its various renovations.
- Casemate 8. Everyday life. Illustrations of day-to-day life in the fortress are provided by the recreation of an officer’s office, the artillery uniform, original items found during the excavation and the original outer gate.
- Latrines. Good example of the sanitary facilities and hygiene conditions of the time.
- Kitchen. Contains small hearths and a storehouse, for cooking and preserving the meagre food supplies of the troops.
- Barracks. A room of audio-visual displays and temporary exhibitions. A video shows aerial photographs of the coastline and the defensive systems which existed between the 16th and the 20th centuries.
Bibliography
- Gómez Vizcaino, A. (2003). Castillos y fortalezas de Cartagena. Excmo. Ayuntamiento de Cartagena.
- Martínez López, J.A. (2008). El fuerte de Navidad en el contexto del sistema defensivo del puerto de Cartagena. Tesis doctoral. Universidad de Murcia.
- Martínez López, J.A. y Munuera Navarro, D. (2009). Álbum fotográfico de los fuertes y baterías del puerto de Cartagena (1901).
- Santaella Pascual, F. (2006). La Artillería en la Defensa de Cartagena y su Base Naval. Desde los orígenes al Plan Vickers de 1926. Editorial Áglaya.
- VV.AA. (2004). Estudio y catalogación de las defensas de Cartagena y su bahía. Proyecto “Puertos antiguos del Mediterráneo”.
- VV.AA. (2012). Cartagena Puerto de Culturas. Convirtiendo el pasado en futuro.
Visitors to the Fuerte de Navidad can find out in detail about the defensive system of Cartagena throughout history. Enrol as a cabin boy on the Tourist Boat and visit the only coastal battery to have been adapted to show the everyday life of military men in a 19th century fortress. Nestled on the right-hand margin of the bay and next to the lighthouse of the same name, the Fuerte de Navidad has been witness to the political, social and military conflicts of recent centuries.
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