Located at the other end of La Caleta beach, this fortress was part of the city defense infrastructures. After the Anglo-Dutch attack and plunder of Cadiz  in 1596, Phillip II sent a military engineer, Christobel de Rojas, to Cadiz to build the fortress to strengthen one of the most vulnerable points of the city and is  Cádiz’s oldest military structure. The military also had a jail here.

The castle has a star-shaped layout protected by two bastions and a moat.

A chapel and sacristy dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria and the Immaculate Conception was built in 1693 within the walls. The parade ground is surrounded by different pavilions.

In 1769, Charles III ordered that the castle be converted into a military prison and it served this role until 1991, when the Spanish Ministry of Defense stopped using it for military purposes.

Today, Castillo de Santa Catalina has a free museum with displays about the fortress. In the summertime there are concerts in the courtyard and it often hosts art and paintings exhibitions.

There are great views Caleta Beach and San Sebastian fortress from the ramparts.

The Santa Catalina Castle appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Cádiz!

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