In the 16th century, Cartagena was a prominent Spanish port and was the principal storage depot for precious treasure plundered by the Spanish from the Indians of Central and South America. Treasure was stored in Cartagena until it could be transported back to Spain. As a result, Cartagena was regularly attacked by hordes of pirates operating throughout the Caribbean. Such prominent buccaneers as Sir Francis Drake and Edward Vernon sacked it repeatedly.
To defend against such attacks, the Spaniards built a series of fortresses and walls around the city. The walls required almost two centuries to complete and were finished a mere 25 years before the Spanish were first expelled from the city. Today Cartagena’s old town remains surrounded by the battle-scarred Las Murallas (the walls). apartamentos para arrendar en cartagena de indias colombia
But even in modern times, every year, thousands of visitors still storm the walls of old Cartegena in search of treasure. In this case, its treasure lied in its many cobbled streets, charming cafes, plazas of cascading bouganvilla, and its historical sites. This treasure offers the visitor an experience unparalleled along the Caribbean coastline.
The old city is in two parts the inner walled town featuring most of the colonial buildings and plazas and the outer walled town of Getsemani. Getsemani, originally, was the area where African slaves were housed. Now it features Cartagena’s Convention Center, several historical churches, and the Parque Centenario.
