In front of you is the last great military work of colonial Cartagena. Las Bóvedas are twenty-three vaulted chambers built between 1792 and 1798 to a design by Antonio de Arévalo, the same engineer who enlarged Castillo San Felipe. They were made to store gunpowder, supplies and troops, with walls so thick they could withstand cannon fire.

1From storehouse to dungeon

During the wars of independence and the civil wars of the 19th century, the vaults were used as a prison. Accounts say that at high tide seawater seeped in and the prisoners stood knee-deep in it. Patriots and political prisoners from different sides passed through here.

A place of confinement by the sea is fertile ground for tales of moans and rattling chains, although none of them has any documentary basis.

2The end of the route

Today the vaults are craft shops selling sombreros vueltiaos and woven mochila bags. But the best part is up above: climb onto the wall and find a spot facing the sea. At this hour the sun sinks into the Caribbean and the stones turn golden.

For dinner, the San Diego district is just a short walk away. Keep an eye on your belongings on the wall after dark and, if someone offers you something you do not want, a friendly «no, gracias» is enough.

3What to look for

  • The arcade, which shades the whole front.
  • The thickness of the walls at the doors of the vaults.
  • The view from the wall, with the sea on one side and the rooftops on the other.

Documented

The twenty-three vaults were built between 1792 and 1798 to a design by Antonio de Arévalo and were used as a prison in the 19th century.

Oral tradition

The ghost stories associated with the old dungeons are folklore with no documentary basis.

Sources and credits

Juan Manuel Zapatero, «Historia de las fortificaciones de Cartagena de Indias» (1979); Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias; UNESCO, «Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena».

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