Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas

We were up earlier today as we had to be at the meeting point for today's tour by 8.15am.  I had been awake since 4am anyway because of a storm raging outside!  By the time we got up, though, the rain had stopped and we enjoyed another nice day - thankfully not as hot as yesterday!  We both had the Colombian breakfast today.

At the starting point, we met with our fellow travellers - Gina from Venezuela and James from the UK but now living in Atlanta.  He came to Colombia last week to attend his wife's friend's wedding.  His wife has since returned home, but he couldn’t because hd realised he had left the US without his green card, so he wouldn't be allowed back into the country!  He is waiting for his documents to arrive so that he can go home 😀.

Our guide, Artur, was on time, and we went in a minibus Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas . It is located on a hill called San Lázaro and was built in 1536 by Spanish soldiers and African slaves and expanded in 1639 and 1657 during the Spanish colonial era.  The site was chosen due to the excellent elevation of the land (forty meters above sea level ) which meant that any enemy movement could be seen and consequently, the reaction time to any invasion attempt was maximized.  

The construction of the fort protected the city of Cartagena de Indias against attacks by the French commanded by de Pointis in 1697 and the English led by Edward Vernon in 1741.  The English commander was entrusted with the mission of attacking and destroying the city accompanied by a troop that exceeded 27,000 soldiers, along with 186 ships and 2,000 cannons, while the Spanish military leader Blas de Lezo defended himself alone with 3,600 men and six ships.

Despite the raging war and military disadvantage, the Spanish commander managed to subdue Vernon and all his troops.

In 1984, UNESCO declared the fortifications and the walled city of Cartagena itself in the list of World Heritage Sites.

Throughout its history, the military fortification has undergone several renovations and restorations in order to prevent its deterioration and to preserve an important monument, not only for the people of Cartagena, but also for all of Colombia. Today, it serves as a tourist attraction and is the site of important events and social gatherings.

We explored the entire fort.  Artur proved to be an excellent guide, bringing history to life with his amazing storytelling.  The views from the top of the castle were incredible!Baca lagi