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Cartagena: A world’s heritage site
The rich history behind Cartagena de Indias led to its designation by UNESCO in 1984 as a World Heritage Site.
Cartagena is an open-air museum. Its streets and surroundings display the charm of its architecture, which blends colonial, republican, and modern styles. Known as “La Heroica” (The Heroic City) for its battles, it was the stage for great events that shaped the destiny of the Americas.
The historic events that took place in the city, along with Cartagena’s cultural, architectural, and artistic wealth, were the reasons it was declared a National Heritage of Colombia in 1959, and a World Heritage Site in 1984 by UNESCO.
Heroic Architecture
During the colonial era, its excellent strategic location made it a military stronghold of the Spanish crown, serving as the most important port in the Americas at the time.
Behind Cartagena’s beauty lie religious and military buildings dating back to the colonial period that have witnessed the city’s greatest moments. Visiting Cartagena is like learning about the history of the Americas.
We Are Heritage
Cartagena is best explored on foot, which is why visitors are encouraged to see places such as the Church and Convent of San Pedro Claver, the Castle of San Felipe, the Convent of Santo Domingo, the Palace of the Inquisition, the Plaza de la Aduana, the Fernández Madrid Square, the Plaza de Armas, and the Plaza de los Coches. The Gold Museum and the Museum of Fortifications are also must-see attractions.
Cartagena, the Cradle of Champeta
Champeta is a contemporary rhythm that was born 26 years ago. It began among marginalized Afro-Colombian groups from the Caribbean who, in search of their roots, blended native African music with hip hop and rock from African-American groups in New York.
For example, John Jairo Sayas Díaz, known as “El Sayayín,” was one of the most recognized figures of the genre. He popularized several hits, including “La suegra voladora” (“The Flying Mother-in-Law”), the song that made him famous across much of the country.
Musical Talent
Cartagena proudly claims to be the city where Álvaro José Arroyo, better known as Joe Arroyo, was born — one of the most important tropical music artists in the Americas during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. His voice was heard on 47 albums, and he wrote nearly one hundred songs.
Another singer and songwriter from the city is Gerardo Augusto Rodríguez de la Rosa —Jerau—, one of the most representative performers of the Tropipop genre in Colombia.
Majestic Walls and Great Writers
In addition to being a World Heritage Site, Cartagena is the birthplace of several of the country’s most outstanding writers, including Germán Espinosa, a prolific novelist and poet. Among his works are Letanías del crepúsculo (“Twilight Litanies”), La noche de la Trapa (“The Night of the Trap”), and El Basileus.
Writer, editor, and bureaucrat Roberto Burgos Cantor joins Espinosa in this field. He is the author of novels such as El patio de los vientos perdidos (“The Courtyard of Lost Winds”), El vuelo de la paloma (“The Flight of the Dove”), and Pavana del ángel (“Angel’s Pavane”).
Other Notable Cartageneros
Cecilia "La Chechi" Baena, Orlando Cabrera, and Angie Cepeda are also part of this distinguished list. The first is a six-time world champion in the top category of inline skating.
Cabrera, a former Major League Baseball player, won the 2004 World Series with the Boston Red Sox. Angie Cepeda, raised in Cartagena, is a film and television actress who has appeared in several series and movies across Latin America, the United States, and Europe.
For its renowned cultural tradition, timeless architecture, and tourist appeal, Cartagena is a city filled with beauty.
