Torre del Reloj - The Clock Tower Gate

Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)

A stop on Cartagena Walled City Walk, a free self-guided tour.

Welcome to the front door of the walled city. The tower in front of you is the Puerta del Reloj, the Clock Gate, the main entrance to old Cartagena. Its stone gateway was rebuilt between 1704 and 1738 by the military engineer Juan de Herrera y Sotomayor, replacing an older gate on the same spot. The clock tower on top came later.

Locals also call it the Boca del Puente, the mouth of the bridge. In colonial times a drawbridge crossed a water channel here, linking the walled city with Getsemani. When enemy ships appeared, the bridge was raised to shut out pirates and raiders.

Those fears were real. Cartagena gathered silver bound for Spain, and Francis Drake captured the city in 1586 and left only after a ransom was paid. Over the next two centuries, the walls you are about to explore grew to about 11 kilometers.

Look up at the clock, then turn around: our next stop lies across the avenue in Getsemani.

Getting here: If you arrive by taxi or from the cruise terminal, ask for the Torre del Reloj; this stop is on the open plaza just outside the gate.

Did you know?: The walls and forts of Cartagena were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

Photo op: Stand back on the plaza outside the gate and frame the whole tower with its arches - late-afternoon light makes it glow.

More on Wikipedia: Puerta del Reloj · Cartagena, Colombia · Francis Drake

Torre del Reloj - The Clock Tower Gate

Stops on this tour