Castle of San Felipe de Barajas, Cartagena de Indias

At the top of the San Lazaro hill, the Castle of San Felipe de Barajas dominates much of the landscape of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The building is, by far, the most incredible example of Spanish military architecture in Latin America. It began to be built in 1657, replacing a small fort that existed on the site. But it was only in the 18th century that it gained the proportions it has today, covering the entire top of the hill.

The Castle’s great reputation is that it is impenetrable. Thousands of enemies have tried to take the building for themselves, all of them have failed miserably. The Spanish built it to defend themselves from enemies arriving by land or sea. After centuries of history, it seems safe to say they have been successful. And it was all thanks to Antonio de Arévalo, a creative military engineer who directed the construction of the fortress.

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To begin with, San Felipe de Barajas Castle has a complex labyrinth of internal tunnels that connect at strategic points in the fortress. For me, this was Arévalo’s master card.

Used to distribute food and ammunition and facilitate evacuation, if necessary, the tunnels also have a perfect acoustic system: any noise, no matter how small, reverberates through their walls throughout the castle, not only facilitating the identification of an enemy attack with important advance notice, but also internal communication between distant points of the construction.

If the enemies managed to invade the castle and went head to head, the tunnels gave the Spanish yet another good advantage. The way they were built, the soldiers on duty would see the enemies before the enemies saw them. And there’s more: as most of the fort’s potential enemies – cough, cough, English – were taller than the Spanish and Colombians, the passages were designed to have a low ceiling, which makes access difficult for big guys.

Are you curious? A part of these tunnels has received lighting and is open for visitors to enter. Inside, you can see up close how this complex defense system worked.

And if the castle’s underground is surprising, the outside leaves something to be desired. From there, it is possible to admire the walls and bastions that imitate the European medieval style, get close to the defense cannons and have a privileged view of the city at the foot of San Lázaro hill.

If you don’t have a guide, I recommend renting an audio guide so you can better understand the construction, which is full of rich historical information. The rental price is around 10,000 Colombian pesos (more or less 5 dollars).

Entrance to the Castillo costs 17,000 Colombian pesos (students pay half). And pay attention to this tip: between February and November, visits are free on the last Sundays of the month. Inside and around there are souvenir shops and vendors with water and snacks, but they can be a little inconvenient. Plan to visit the place in the morning or late afternoon, if you want to avoid the intense heat and hordes of tourists.

Location and operation: Av. Antônio de Arevalo, San Lazaro – open every day from 8am to 6pm.

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