NCL Panama Canal Cruise, day twelve we docked in Cartagena, Colombia at 9 AM, excursion Old City & Spanish Fort

All the tour bus at the Cartagena Port.   

History

Known as the Heroic City, Cartagena de Indias is a city rich in history in its streets and its inhabitants. It was founded in 1533 by Don Pedro de Heredia a Spaniard conqueror Cartagena became the most important Spanish port in America. 

Due to its excellent geographical location and military stronghold Cartagena de Indias also became a haven for the treasures and riches of the Spanish crown. To defend the city against the successive attacks of pirates and buccaneers, magnificent city walls and fortifications were built to surround and protect it. All those remain today as reflection of the history of this impressive colonial town. 

The streets, houses and balconies of Cartagena?s historic downtown, known as the Walled City are evidence of the architecture of beautiful colonial Spanish town. This old city, bursting with history, was declared a World Cultural and Historical Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. 

So many street vendors that they stormed
you when you got off the bus.

Where the canyons shot from.  This fort
was where the Spaniards keep there riches.

The old city.  Many of these homes
have been bought and restored. Justin Biber
owns a home here and has restored.

Pretty old town with a lot of history
and our guide was very good.

The more buttons on a door the more
prestigious you were. Above the door
family emblems were placed.

This is a torture chamber where
they would kill people they believed
to be witches.  If you weight less
than 90 lbs you were automatically
a witch, or if someone accused you
of being one.  Finally the Colombians
people got tired of it and rebelled and
the government had to stop the practice
of killing and torturing people they
thought to be witches.

The new part of Cartagena
is a large busy city. The population in
2005 was 845,801.