Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, Bolivar Department, Colombia
4.5 (13.1k reviews) Saturday: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Ranking #2 in Bolivar Department Points of Interest & Landmarks • Castles
THE Spot to Visit_DvB
Cartagena was always a desirable conquest for pirates and enemies of the Spanish Crown; and for this reason, the defense of the city from these threats was a question of priority for its inhabitants from the first decades of the existence of the city. Once the primitive nucleus of Cartagena and the outlying district of Getsemani were fortified, there was a need to erect a structure on San Lazaro Hill that would prevent an enemy attack from its peak, since the hill dominated the walls and the only entrance to the city, the Media Luna Entrance in Getsemani. In addition, this hill was the intermediate point between the city and the nearby Popa Peak, where some heavy guns and canons were installed between 1769 and 1780 to cross fire with the castle and make an enemy attack more difficult from the large beach of Playon Grande in Pie de la Popa.
Address
Carrera 17, Cartagena 130002 Colombia
Mobile
Website
http://fortificacionescartagena.com/en
Working hours
Monday : 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday : 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday : 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday : 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday : 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday : 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday : 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Current local date and time now
Saturday, May 04, 2024, 21:49
User Ratings
4.5 based on (13.1k reviews)
Reviews
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5718juan 5:00 PM Jan 19, 2022
Impressive Spanish fort
This was a beautiful and impressive Spanish fort. Recommendations: 1) Bring a hat or pay for one. It's very sunny and there is minimal shade. On January was 90+ F (32 C) and very sunny. 2) Bring water or pay for it. There is no potable water once you pass security. 3) A tour guide may be beneficial. We didn't want one because we had limited time. There are not many descriptive signs around and the ones present have minimal context. There were official guides past security and have read that there are inexpensive, knowledgeable and informative.
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4Stefanie H 5:00 PM Sep 26, 2022
Very nice fort
It is definitely worth taking the short trip over to the fort! It's enormous and really fun to walk through the tunnels and over the ramparts. The walk up from the street is very steep, and it would be helpful to bring water for the heat. There is a small gift and snack shop on the grounds, along with restrooms, and there are some vendor tables with souvenirs as well. We took an Uber over from the Walled City, but there is a taxi lineup out front - just fix the price before you get in. Admission to the fort is cheap, and you can hire a guide onsite if you want.
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