Cartagena, << `kahr` tah HAY nuh, >> is a port city in northern Colombia and the capital of the Colombian department (province) of Bolívar. The municipality of Cartagena has a population of 1,013,389. A municipality may include rural areas as well as the urban center. The city lies on the coast of the Caribbean Sea at the northern end of the Bay of Cartagena.
The old section of Cartagena has many historic buildings and narrow, picturesque streets. Near the center of the old city stand the cathedral (1575-1612), the Church of San Pedro Claver (1603), and the Palace of the Inquisition (completed in the 1770’s). People can still explore many of Cartagena’s early fortifications. These defenses include thick walls built to protect the colonial city and fortresses, such as the Castle of San Felipe Barojas. The castle was originally completed in 1657 and enlarged in the 1700’s.
Cartagena is Colombia’s main port for shipping petroleum. A pipeline runs from inland oil fields to the city’s harbor and refineries. Cartagena also produces coffee, leather products, textiles, and tobacco. Its historic architecture and scenic location make it popular with tourists.
Cartagena was founded in 1533 by the Spanish explorer Pedro de Heredia. It became a major port for shipping gold and silver from the New World to Spain. From the 1500’s to 1700’s, the Spaniards fortified the city to protect its trade from pirates and foreign armies. In 1810, the people of Cartagena set up their own government. They declared independence from Spain in 1811. Spanish troops captured Cartagena in 1815, but revolutionaries retook the city in 1821. Cartagena declined during the 1800’s but regained importance in the 1900’s as a center for trade, manufacturing, and tourism.
