Officially Tourist and Cultural District of Cartagena, is a Colombian city and capital of the department of Bolivar. It was founded on June 1, 1533 by Pedro de Heredia. Since 1991 Cartagena is a Tourist, Historical and Cultural District. The city is located on the shores of the Caribbean Sea.
Since its founding in the 16th century and throughout the Spanish colonial period, Cartagena de Indias was one of the most important ports in America. From this time comes most of its artistic and cultural heritage. On November 11, 1811, Cartagena declared itself independent of Spain. This day is a national holiday in Colombia and in the city is celebrated for four days known as the “Independence Festivities”.
Cartagena has been a city mainly associated with pirate history, because it was there where there were numerous attacks by the pirates coming from Europe that found in the city, a suitable place to plunder in the colonial era, what it did in its To become the most strengthened city in South America and the Caribbean. At present its colonial architecture is maintained.
With the passage of time, Cartagena has developed its urban area, preserving the historic center and becoming one of the most important ports in Colombia, the Caribbean and the world as well as famous tourist destination. The total population of its head is of 955,250 inhabitants, being the fifth (5) more populated of the country and the one of its metropolitan area of 1,288,490 inhabitants with the municipalities of Turbaco, Arjona, Turbana, Santa Rosa, Santa Catalina, Clemencia, María La Baja, Mahates, San Estanislao and Villanueva Cartagena being its nucleus, has a length of 13 km from South to North and 11 km from East to West. Its historical center, the “Walled City”, was declared National Patrimony of Colombia in 1959 and by Unesco Patrimony of the Humanity in 1984.