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The Heroic City

Cartagena architecture

Cartagena de Indias is a UNESCO World Heritage City, its walled colonial center one of the best-preserved in the Americas. The city was one of the main ports of the Spanish colonial empire and was defended by the most extensive system of fortifications in South America — the walls took 208 years to complete. Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia's Nobel Prize-winning author, lived here for much of his life and the city's magical quality permeates his writing.

  • 5Landmarks
  • 1607Oldest · Convento de la Popa
  • 40 mTallest · Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
  • 2Architects

Before you go

  • Fly intoRafael Núñez International Airport (CTG)

    Rafael Núñez International Airport sits dramatically close to the old city, just minutes from the colonial walls and the Caribbean coast. Named after the Colombian president who wrote the national anthem, the airport's proximity to the historic center makes arrivals feel immediate and atmospheric. The airport handles growing tourist traffic and seasonal peaks from cruise ships docking in the bay.

  • CurrencyColombian Peso ($)
  • LanguageSpanish

    Cartagena's Spanish has a distinctly Caribbean lilt, softer and more musical than the Bogotá or Medellín accents. The city's Afro-Colombian communities in the Getseманí neighborhood maintain cultural traditions including cumbia music and palenquero — a Spanish-based creole language spoken in the nearby village of San Basilio de Palenque, the first free African town in the Americas.

  • Getting aroundBuses & Horse Carriages

    The historic walled city is best explored on foot — its colonial streets are closed to most vehicles. Horse-drawn carriages (coches) are the iconic transport of the old city and a popular tourist experience, especially at night when the illuminated walls glow gold. Speedboats connect the mainland to the Rosario Islands and Barú Peninsula. Taxis and the growing fleet of Pedicabs serve the broader city.

5 landmarks in Cartagena

  1. Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
    Photo: Martin St-Amant (S23678), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas

    Cra. 17 #36-112, San Felipe, Cartagena

    The largest Spanish colonial fortress ever built in the Americas, begun in 1536 on the San Lazaro Hill overlooking Cartagena Bay. Its labyrinthine system of tunnels made it virtually impregnable and successfully repelled a British attack by Admiral Edward Vernon in 1741.

    Built
    1657
    Architect
    Antonio de Arevalo
    Style
    Spanish colonial military
    Height
    40 m (131 ft)
    Stories
    3
    Today
    UNESCO World Heritage Site & tourist site
  2. Cartagena Cathedral
    Photo: Ryan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Cartagena Cathedral

    Calle de los Santos de Piedra, Cartagena

    The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, begun in 1575 and taking over a century to complete due to attacks and structural collapses. It is the oldest cathedral in Colombia and stands at the heart of the UNESCO-protected walled city.

    Built
    1612
    Architect
    Simon Gonzalez
    Style
    Spanish colonial baroque
    Height
    33 m (108 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    Active cathedral

  3. Las Murallas de Cartagena

    Old City, Cartagena de Indias

    The 11km system of fortified walls surrounding Cartagena's old city, one of the most complete and best-preserved colonial fortification systems in the Americas. Construction began in 1586 and took 208 years to complete, with walls ranging from 9 to 17 metres tall.

    Built
    1796
    Architect
    Antonio de Arevalo
    Style
    Spanish colonial military
    Height
    17 m (56 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    UNESCO World Heritage Site & promenade
  4. Palacio de la Inquisición
    Photo: Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Palacio de la Inquisición

    Plaza Bolivar, Cartagena

    The 1770 seat of the Spanish Inquisition's Cartagena tribunal, one of the finest examples of Spanish colonial Baroque architecture in South America. Its ornate stone portal and interior patio now house a museum documenting the history of the Inquisition and colonial Cartagena.

    Built
    1770
    Style
    Spanish colonial Baroque
    Height
    16 m (52 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    Museum
  5. Convento de la Popa
    Photo: Petruss, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Convento de la Popa

    La Popa Hill, Cartagena

    A 17th-century Augustinian convent perched on a 150-metre hill (La Popa) that dominates Cartagena's skyline, offering the best panoramic views over the walled city, the bay, and the Caribbean. Every February 2nd, thousands of pilgrims climb the hill for the feast of the Virgen de la Candelaria.

    Built
    1607
    Style
    Spanish colonial
    Height
    15 m (49 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    Active convent & tourist viewpoint

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