Cartagena through the Centuries

One of the top sights in Cartagena is an enormous fortress that sits on a hill overlooking the historic walled city. Spain built fortresses throughout the New World to defend its growing empire, and none was larger than Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas in Cartagena. Named for King Philip IV of Spain, its strategic location on the mainland afforded unobstructed views of the land and the sea. 

 Construction began in 1657. After the fort was attacked by the English in the mid-1700s, the structure was enlarged and parapets and bastions were added. Although the fortress was stormed on many occasions, it was never captured. 

We set out to explore the fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with our local guide David early on a Sunday morning (to avoid the midday heat as well as crowds of weekend tourists). 

As we walked up a series of ramps (helpful for pulling up heavy cannons), David pointed out the building materials – coral stone, limestone, and clay bricks. 

We walked through some very dark tunnels, part of a complex system that connected various points in the fortress. These tunnels were used for communication and supply distribution. In addition, they were acoustically designed to alert the defenders to the sound of the approaching enemy’s feet. 

 

From some of the highest parts of the fortress, we looked out at the panoramic views, with the tall towers of the modern city rising in the distance. 

 

The cannons point towards the mainland, to stop invaders approaching by land. 

Not far from the fortress is the historic area of Getsemani. Although it is located on the same island as the historic walled city, it was considered an outlying district for many years and wasn’t enclosed by fortifications until the 1630s. 

Nowadays, Getsemani is a very colorful neighborhood with inexpensive hostels and numerous brewpubs, cocktail bars, bistros, food stalls, and street musicians that attract a young crowd, especially after dark.

 

The center of activity in Getsemani is Plaza de la Trinidad (Holy Trinity Square). The bright yellow Church of the Holy Trinity is the second oldest church in Cartagena. It was built to provide a place of worship for people living outside the walled city. In the plaza, you will find a statue of Pedro Romero, an Afro-Colombian hero of Cartagena’s struggle for independence. 

Walking around the neighborhood, we stopped to admire numerous examples of street art.

We came across murals depicting Colombia’s Nobel Prize winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who was inspired by his time in Cartagena and maintained a house in the city. 

The butterflies decorating this building are a reference to a literary image that appears in several of his works. The butterflies are a symbol of love and hope. 

 

Many of the streets are decorated with different themes. For example, flags of many nations flew over one long street. On another street, open umbrellas provided the decoration. 

David noted that gentrification is already starting to push up prices in the area and I suppose the character of Getsemani will change.

 

A more upscale neighborhood of the Cartagena is Boca Grande, which is filled with expensive condos, fancy restaurants, exclusive shops, and beach resorts. Often compared to Miami Beach, it’s a popular vacation destination.

 

One reason for our stop in Boca Grande was to learn about emeralds. 

We had a guided tour of the emerald museum at Caribe Jewelers where we saw examples of gold and gold/emerald objects made by indigenous people as well as items made for the Catholic Church. Afterwards, we wandered through the sales area of the store, admiring the dazzling jewelry. 

Although I did not buy anything, I learned a lot about emeralds. According to our tour guide, Colombia is the world’s major producer of quality emeralds. She qualified that claim by acknowledging that Brazil and Russia actually produce more emeralds, but Colombia’s stones are superior. The three attributes that determine quality are color, brilliance, and transparency. As far as color is concerned, darkish blue green is the most desirable. 

 

On our last full day in Cartagena, we traveled by chiva party bus to the fishing village of La Boquilla, located on the coast about 8 kilometers (5 miles) north of the walled city. Along the way, we were entertained by Los Fantasticos, a trio performing vallenato music. This is a distinctive style of Colombian music that originated on the Caribbean coast. It includes an accordion, a drum, and an improvised percussion instrument, in this case, a metal grater. I found an example on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqDpLVlhH_M

Our chiva bus dropped us off on the beach where students from a local drum and dance school welcomed us. The school was established to help the local young people learn about their Afro-Caribbean cultural traditions (a blend of the indigenous and African). After they demonstrated several types of drums and different rhythms, each member of our group had a chance to try drumming. 

 

Next, we learned about cumbia, Colombia’s main folk style of dance. Cumbia developed on Caribbean coast and bears some resemblance to West African dance forms. Traditionally, the dance is a flirtation between a man and a woman. The man is trying to win the woman’s love through his dancing. The woman wears a headdress and a long skirt decorated with flowers or sequins while the man wears a white shirt and pants and a typical Colombian straw hat. 

After watching the performance, we were all invited to join in. We also danced to some very lively contemporary music. Dancing barefoot in the sand was great fun! 

Before we left, I had a chance to walk in the surf and to cool off with a Colombian beer. 

 

Our final evening in Cartagena ended with a horse drawn carriage ride through the streets of the walled city and a farewell dinner. 

Then it was time to pack up and prepare to return home – and to start anticipating my next trip. 

Adios, Colombia. I'll always remember your gracious warmth and rich cultural tapestry.