The Castle of San Felipe

Our first port of call after swimming in the Bahamas was in the old city of Cartegena, Columbia.  We decided to take a tour to see some of the highlights, and the first stop was the castle of San Felipe, or Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. 

Castle of San Felipe

The castle is a fortress in the city, and is located on the Hill of San Lazaro.  The location was strategic when built, dominating approaches to the city by land or sea.  It was built by the Spanish during the colonial era, with construction beginning in 1536, and was expanded in 1657.

Base of Tree Blooms

One of the first things that I noticed when we arrived were the lovely blooms that could be found along the base of trees there, and also some flowering shrubs lining the walkway to the castle.

San Felipe Blooms

Flowered Entry

The castle is well preserved. When it ceased to be used for military purposes, tropical vegetation covered the battlements and walls, and soil accumulated in the tunnels and trenches.  Here you can see some other lovely blooms along what seems to be an old entryway.

Castle of San Felipe

As I said before, the fortress was begun in 1536, and significantly expanded in 1657. It was built in a triangular shape on top of the hill, with eight batteries and a garrison of 20 soldiers and 4 gunners. Its name was given in honor of Philip IV of Spain.  Another expansion was made to the fortress in 1763 by Antonio de Arévalo.

San Felipe Bell Tower

In the 1697 raid on Cartagena, during the War of the Grand Alliance, the castle fell to the French privateer Baron de Pointis. The castle was repaired by José de Herrera y Sotomayor in 1739. British Admiral Edward Vernon attacked the fortress in the 1741 Battle of Cartagena de Indias, an important conflict of the War of Jenkins' Ear. Vernon's forces were repelled by the Spanish admiral Blas de Lezo.

San Felipe Bright Blooms

The fortification consists of a series of walls, wide at the base and narrow toward the parapet, forming a formidable pattern of bunkers. The batteries and parapets protect one another, so making it practically impossible to take a battery without taking the whole defense system. The castle is striking for its grand entrance and its complex maze of tunnels. It is the most formidable defensive complex of Spanish military architecture. It is 135 ft. above sea level.

Enjoy!