The chapel of Notre-Dame de Santa Cruz stands on a terrace just below the fort, its white walls and modest dome visible from the city below. The current building dates from 1850; the gilded statue of the Virgin above the entrance was added in 1959. After independence in 1962 the chapel fell into disrepair, but it was restored in the 1980s and remains an active Catholic site, served by visiting priests for the small Algerian Christian community and occasional Marian pilgrimages.
The terrace in front is the most visited viewpoint in Oran — a long stone balustrade looking out over the bay, the city, and the Mediterranean. Open daily; entry is free.