Cenizas Battery

The Cenizas Battery – Batería de Cenizas , also known as C-9, is a Spanish fortification of coastal artillery support located on the Mount of de las Cenizas, east of the town of Portmán  within the municipality of Cartagena on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

In 1926 it was decided in Spain to establish modern coastal defense installations, including a number of heavy coastal defense batteries with 38.1 cm Vickers – Armstrong cannons.

with its cannons disabled, until today, when it is in a very bad state of conservation. In this regard, in October 2014, it was included by the Hispania Nostra association in its Red List of heritage in danger.

Access : Coordinates: 37.5789, -0.8225 / To make this Ashes Route we take the La Manga Highway (RM12) towards La Manga. At the height of the Belones we leave at exit 10, towards La Manga Club de Golf and Portman (RM314). After crossing several holes of the Golf course in the direction of Portman we will find a sign indicating Llano del Beal, on the right hand side of the road, where we will see a parking lot to leave the car and walk up the road.
/ The access road to the battery is at the highest point on the road between Club la Manga and Portman. There is a large car park on site. From here, a wide walking path through the protected area leads up to the battery. The hike takes approx. 45 minute.

Highlights :

•  The de las Cenizas Battery is located at a height of 305 meters, and its entrance portico is inspired by the Mayan city of Chichen Itza, in the Mesoamerican post-classical style. Each artillery piece has a machine room, warehouses gunpowder and spare parts and a cargo chamber.
•  The battery : The gun battery was discontinued as a military installation in 1994. Since then, it has remained unguarded, but is still in reasonably good condition. Cannons and cannon towers as well as the entrance gate were painted in 2008 and appear beautiful while the other buildings and installations are in varying degrees of decay. Still, they give a good idea of how the whole battery has been designed. a kilometer away lies the associated barracks, which are in great decline. Spain still maintains a battery of three 381/45 mm guns at Punta Paloma on the Strait of Gibraltar. These guns are used in connection with Spain’s assertion of sovereignty in the Strait of Gibraltar.
•  Armament : The guns are of the Vickers – Armstrong type 381/45 mm and manufactured in the 1920s in England. The length of the gun barrel is 17.6 meters and the weight is 88,000 kg. The maximum firing range was 35,000 meters. The projectiles weight for both the AP (armor piercing) and HE (high explosive) projectiles was 885 kg.
•  The de las Cenizas Viewpoint cannot have a better enclave; It is located in the Natural Park of Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas and Pena del Aguila, near Portman. It is an esplanade about 300 meters high, from where we can have wonderful panoramic views of the coast. From the Mar Menor and La Manga, through Cabo de Palos, to the wonderful beaches of Calblanque, continuing with the steep cliff coast between the Union and Escombreras, towards Cartagena.

Activities : Scenic Driving- Auto Touring / sightseeing / photo opportunities / trekking / enjoy stunning views

Go next : the Battery of Los Castillitos in Mazarron. / Cartagena , a city and port of Spain, in the Region of Murcia. / Murcia is a city in southeastern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous region of Murcia