Ciudad Amurallada also called The Walled City

The city of Cartagena was founded on June 1, 1533, and was named after Cartagena, Spain.  The region around Cartagena Bay however dates back to 4000 BC and was populated by various indigenous people.  Cartagena served a major role during the colonial period of expansion during the Spanish empire.  The city of Cartagena, Colombia is most associated with pirates in the Caribbean, and the world. 

In 1984 Cartagena, Colombia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This picture is of the wall surrounding the old city.  The old city has 11 kilometres or 6.8 miles of walls.  Some measure 20 meters thick.  Today these are Cartagena's most significant identifiable features.  The wall was built to protect Cartagena from attack.

Construction of the walls began in 1631, all of the neighborhood of Getsemani, outside El Centro, had been enclosed; most of the wall is still standing today.  In 1721, the construction of the walls resumed and by 1796, Cartagena, Colombia was completely surrounded.

Inside the Walled City there are four sectors or neighborhoods.  Each one has a story to tell.  The names are San Diego, LaMatuna, Getsemani and Santo Domingo.

Walking around within the walls transforms you to hundreds of years ago.  I sat on the steps in a plaza and wondered what life was like many years ago.  The colonial architecture takes your breath away.  The beauty in all the detail is overwhelming.

Before I came to Cartagena, Colombia I had read so much about the Walled City.  I didn't know what to expect?  It was everything and more, I could have stayed for hours.  It's so large that we only experienced a small part.  We will be going back for many visits and plan to take anyone who visits us to see this beautiful place.

Cartagena is very special; lost in time and from another age!  You cannot visit this city without experiencing the Walled City.