BRIEF HISTORY
Located 1,000 miles and 2 hours by air from Miami, FL, Cartagena was
discovered by Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1503 during his exploration of the Atlantic coast of
what is now Colombia. It was not until 1533 that Pedro de Heredia laid the first stone of
the city’s foundation. During almost all the colonial period, Cartagena was the start
and end point for the Route of the Galleons between the Iberian Peninsula and the New
World.
The city was built with incomparable architecture. To defend it from
the constant attacks of pirates and buccaneers, the most important complex of walls and fortresses
in South America was built around it, which are nowadays one of the most identifiable
symbols of the city.
The city's rich heritage allows the visitor to make historical and
cultural tours through its system of fortifications, which consists of 21 bastions, 11
kilometers of walls, 7 forts, 12 shore batteries, 2 breakwaters, 14 Spanish colonial
cloisters, churches and convents, 7 museums and 15 squares or historical parks.
Because of this history, UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization), named Cartagena de Indias a World Heritage Site in
1984.
Cartagena de Indias, has a population of more than 1 million people
and 94% of its territory is urban. It is the safest city, the leading tourist
destination, and the fourth-ranked industrial city of the country; and has consolidated
its position as the leading container and cruise port in Colombia, as well as one of the
largest in the Caribbean and the north coast of South America.
TODAY’S CITY
Today, Cartagena
de Indias is a city with historical monuments totally restored. In the Corralito de Piedra
or Old City, there are luxurious hotels; and it offers its visitors all the glamour and
sophistication of fashion by various local and international designers, as well as the
enchantment of traditionally crafted clothes and accessories 100% handmade in
unpretentious stores, as well as pre-Hispanic designs, antiques, filigree jewelry and
leather goods, in a wide variety of forms, textures, textiles, and designs. A great
variety of top class restaurants that offer national and international cuisine are also
found.
GEOGRAPHY
Cartagena faces the Caribbean Sea to the west.
To the south is the Bahía de Cartagena (Bay of Cartagena), which has two entrances:
Bocachica in the south, and Bocagrande in the north. Cartagena is located at 10°25'
North, 75°32' West (10.41667, -75.5333).
CLIMATE
Due to Cartagena's tropical location, the
climate changes very little, with an average high of 31°C (88°F) and an average low of
24°C (75°F) throughout the year. Cartagena also averages around 90% humidity, with a
rainy season typically in October. Cartagena receives about 1000 mm (40 inches) of rain a
year.
A GLIMPSE OF WHAT TO DO
Cartagena's fortifications:
The Castle of San Felipe de Barajas, the largest fortress built by
the Spanish in South America. Construction began 1586 and it was later crucial to the
successful defense of the city from an invasion in 1741 by the British.
The walls around the Old City (Las Murallas);
The undersea wall across Bocagrande built between 1771 and 1778; and
the forts of San Jose and San Fernando, built between 1751 and 1759 at Bocachica.
Spanish Colonial buildings:
The Palace of the Inquisition, Cartagena was the third and final
site of the New World Spanish Inquisition. In this place hundreds of witches and other
heretics were tortured and executed.
Almost every church in Cartagena is worth visiting, the Cathedral,
San Pedro Claver and Santo Domingo are among the most frequented.
The Convent of Santa Clara and Santa Teresa. Previously convents,
today they serve as five star hotels.
Las Bóvedas Quarter (Old Dungeons). This gathering of 23 vaults and
46 arches that formed the facade of this Military Quarter was used as lodging site for the
troops, military provisions and stores. Currently it is a market, with handcrafts from all
over the country.
The Clock Tower. Built at the beginning of the XVIII Century, this
tower rises above the main gate to enter the walled city. Today it is the symbol of Cartagena.
Heredia Theater. Built in 1911 upon the ruins of the La Merced
church (1625) in order to commemorate the centennial of Cartagena’s independence.
Today it is a center for the arts and cultural events.
La Popa Monastery. Founded by the Agustinos
Descalzos Recoletos group in 1607, with the mission of expelling Buziraco, the image of a
goat adored by the Indians. Today La Popa is a site of devotion and pilgrimage.
The Monument to the Old Shoes is a beautiful allegory
of Cartagena.
Volcán de Totumo, or nearby Arboletes. These are
mud volcanoes. Totumo is the tallest mud volcano in the world.
Gold Museum, (Museo de Oro) The incredible contents
of the museum includes valuable pre-Columbian gold artifacts, some of the oldest ceramics
in the Americas, an explanation of the Zenú Nation's amazing hydraulic engineering
achievements and a mountain of information about the way the native people lived. It is
open Tuesday to Friday 8-12 and 2-6pm, Saturdays 9am to 5pm.
Visit Plaza Santo Domingo, Once a place where
slaves were auctioned off, the plaza is the home to Botero's gordita (the fat lady
statue), and the beautiful Santo Domingo Church.
Catch a ride on a horse-drawn carriage, Take a tour
of the city and get transported to the colonial times in your own carriage.
Drink, sing and dance the night away on a Chiva
tour. These tours are popular with both Colombian and foreign tourists. The tours include
live music, drinks and snacks.
If you like art, visit the Museo de Arte Moderno in
front of the Cathedral, open Mon-Fri 9-12, 3-5pm, Sat 10-12. There are occasional art
exhibitions held in the Museo Naval.
Get your PADI diving certificate and dive in the Caribbean
observing tropical fish and reefs, and the odd shipwreck. Cartagena is one of the cheapest
places in the world to get your PADI certification. Also all kind of water sports can be
practiced.
Go on an eco-cruise of the manglares. The mangrove
swamps around Cartagena have recently been promoted as a tourist attraction. You will be
taken you on a canoe through mangroves teeming with all sorts of animals.
Visit Islas del Rosario. About 30 km southeast of Cartagena
are the Islas de Rosario (Rosario Islands), a nationally protected park which features an
aquarium with trained dolphins and many varieties of tropical fish and sharks.
Go sunbathing at one of Cartagena's beaches. Cartagena
is nearly surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. Small, coral stone protected beaches can be
found only a few meters outside of the ancient Walled City. There are several to choose
from: Bocagrande, Laguito, Bocachica, La Boquilla, Manzanillo, Islas del Rosario, Isla
Baru, Tierrabomba and Playa Blanca. Wandering vendors sell ice cream, fresh fruit and
juice, trinkets, or offer their services as masseurs or will plat and bead your hair.
