Cartagena Bay

Cartagena Bay cuts into Colombia’s Caribbean coast, its sheltered waters approached through channels between islands and peninsulas. The city of Cartagena became a vital Spanish port, linking the mainland with the fleets that sailed through the West Indies. Its strategic position and wealth made it a target for rival powers, and an extensive system of walls, batteries and forts grew around the city and the bay.

The defences guarded both the inner harbour and its approaches. At Bocachica, the southwestern entrance, successive fortifications commanded the channel through which ships entered. The great fortress of San Felipe de Barajas rose on a hill east of the city. Built and strengthened over generations, these works protected a port central to Spanish commerce and imperial rivalry in the Caribbean.