Cartagena de Indias, the pearl of Caribbean

Cartagena de Indias, one of the most beautiful cities in the World! Designated a World UNESCO Heritage Site in 1984. It has the most extensive fortress in Latin America, that was built in order to protect the city from the constant pirate attacks and attempts to conquer the city by British, Americans or French.

Part of the fortress seen from the shore.
In the evening, at around 6 p.m.
people watch the sunset from the wall.

The history of this city is very rich, but also full of sorrow. It has suffered a lot during the centuries and also has been one of the greatest cities of Latin America. It was one of the most important ports in the New World, where the metals and slaves were traded. Most of the buildings have been built by slaves, e.g. the fortress wall.  Along with Veracruz in Mexico, it was designated the only port to trade the African slaves in Latin America. In the beginning of XVII century the Spanish Crown has established an Inquisition Court, which currently serves as a historical museum of the city and inquisition. Many people have been killed for the heresy and for magical practices. Many sophisticated machines have been invented to torture the suspects that can be viewed in the museum. The suspects also were burnt at the stake or hanged on public gallows.

View on the Naval Museum
and San Pedro Claver church in the background

The history of Cartagena begun early, as archeologists estimate it - 4000 A.c..

The tribes from the Carib family language habited the region around the year 1500, which they called Kalamary. About all this you can learn in the Naval History of Cartagena, a good source of information about the region, but if you don’t understand Spanish you rather read the history on your own. Everything is written in Spanish, unfortunately.

The Cathedral 

An important mark on the city left Francis Drake, when he conquered Cartagena in 1586. He has appropriated an amount of 107.000 Spanish eight reales, which currently is an equivalent of 200.000 US dollars and destroyed a quarter of the city, along with a part of recently built cathedral. The very same cathedral can be viewed today, but the access is not free. It is after this attack, the Spanish crown decided to build a fortress to protect the city.

Nineteenth century has been tough as well. The independence has been signed on the 11^th of November 1811.  Cartagena at that time has become the capital of the newly founded country called New Granada. Thirty years later an epidemic of Cholera broke, reducing the population number, one third of the people died. The city has been nearly destroyed, and on top of that it was stroke by famine. It resembled a ghost town during this period. 

The contemporary Cartagena shines in its beauty, the restored to splendor Walled City (La Ciudad Amurallada) amazes the visitors. The vibrant colours of the buildings, architecture, friendly locals, the Afro-Caribbean culture at its best.

Modern Bocagrande in the background

One of the lovely streets in Cartagena

The most popular music genres are cumbia and vallenato, the instruments that are popular are accordion, drums and guiro (looks like a big grater). We have participated in a Colombian private street party. After winning the match with Bolivia a group of friends have been celebrating for three days, drinking and dancing outside their house. When walking on the beach in Bocagrande (part of Cartagena, where all the skyscrapers are), we saw musicians playing music for particular people who were chilling on the beach, who were then dancing and singing along with the musicians. Colombians know how to have fun. 

It is a city that you should put on a “list of the places to see before you die”!