Located in Colombia’s northern coast, the capital of the Bolívar Department is the metropolitan city of Cartagena de Indias or Cartagena of the West Indies. A most sought after tourist destination, Cartagena is the hub of economic activity in the Caribbean. The city has received several nicknames, some of which include ‘Best Fortified City of the Americas’, ‘The Heroic City’ and ‘Capital of the Caribbean’ to name a few.
Long before the Spanish settlers arrived in Cartagena, the area was inhabited by various local tribes. The earliest known human occupation here was of the Puerto Hormiga Culture dating back to 7000 BC and continuing up to 3000 BC, after which it was taken over by the more advanced Monsú culture. The first Europeans arrived here in 1506, but failed to establish a settlement followed by a second failure in 1517.
The city was finally established by Spanish explorer Pedro de Heredia on 1 June 1533 and was named Cartagena after the native town of his sailors in Spain. Cartagena de Indias prospered and became a wealthy town, but along with its wealth came several invasions from pirates and corsairs. It was first the French and then the English who eyed the city in order to plunder the accumulated wealth of Cartagena. They succeeded in their attempts, leaving the city empty of its vast riches.
By the 17th Century, the ruling Spanish Monarch ordered extensive constructions of fortified walls to protect the city from these frequent attacks on their wealth. It took more than 200 years for these fortifications to be built, which still remain today and are a major tourist attraction. UNESCO in 1984 declared Cartagena’s walled city a World Heritage Site. With the building of the walls, the city was strongly protected and soon Cartagena became a chief trading port for gold and silver.
Cartagena remained under Spanish rule for 275 years, but received independence on 11 November 1811. The colonial city, now known as the old city is in the downtown area and consists of grand Republican and Italian style architecture. Porta del Reloj or Clock Gate is the gateway to this splendid part of the city. The various Squares in this area consist of important tourist sights starting with Plaza de los Coches, which leads into the old city from Porta del Reloj.
Plaza de la Aduana houses the mayor’s office; the San Pedro Church and the Museum of Modern Art are located in San Pedro Claver Square while Plaza de Bolívar has a park with a statue of Simon Bolívar in the centre. Several colonial buildings are located in this square along with the Palace of Inquisition. The 16th century Cathedral of Cartagena is located across the Palace while at a short distance away are the Historical Archives and the office of the Governor of the Department of Bolívar.
Santo Domingo Square is home to the Santo Domingo Church and the sculpture of the Reclining Woman. One of the major attractions of Cartagena is the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas atop San Lazaro Hill built between 1639-1657. A huge network of tunnels was built in the castle as escape routes and for distribution of provisions. One can view some of the tunnels that are open to the public today. The San Diego and Getsemaní areas also offer places of tourist interest.
The modern part of Cartagena lies in Bocagrande with its ultra modern architecture, high-rise buildings, shopping centers, restaurants, hotels and nightclubs. It is the most sought after area by tourists, as it offers all tourist facilities. Cartagena is well-connected with other cities in Colombia as well as with different parts of the world. The Rafael Núñez International Airport receives both domestic and international flights. Roads connect to numerous cities.
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