Colombia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 514

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believed to be the site where at least eight
hundred people were sentenced to death.
Heretics were denounced at the small
window topped with a cross, around the
corner from the entrance, and culprits
found guilty of witchcraft and blasphemy
were sentenced to public autos-de-fé
(executions) until independence in 1821.
The museum within features a
particularly interesting display of torture
implements favoured by the Inquisition,
as well as scale models of Cartagena,
pre-Columbian pottery and displays on
the city's history.

landed inside the church but didn't cause
casualties; you can see it in a glass display
case on the left wall.

Iglesia de Santo Domingo
On the lively Plaza de Santo Domingo and
fronted by Fernando Botero's voluptuous
La Gorda sculpture, the church of Santo
Domingo (Tues-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun
noon-8pm; COP$13,000) constitutes the
plaza's main draw. Completed in 1579,
the fortress-like structure's austere interior
belies its status as Cartagena's oldest
church. On the Baroque altar there's
a sixteenth-century carved Christ, and
the audioguide immerses you in the
history of the church.

Museo de Oro
If you're haven't yet visited Bogotá's larger
counterpart, this excellent gold museum
(Tues-Fri 10am-1pm & 3-7pm, Sat
10am-1pm & 2-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm;
free), off the Plaza de Bolívar, will whet
your appetite. The displays feature the
intricate gold creations of various
pre-Columbian cultures, particularly
the Zenú. Look out for their intricate
“woven” earrings and mammal-bird
hybrids, as well as the elaborate gold and
copper figures of the Tayrona and the
schematic representations of shamans
from the San Jacinto range.

Las Bovedas
In the northeast corner of the walled city,
these mustard-coloured dungeons, built
into the city walls between 1792 and
1796, have been used variously as
munitions storage, a jail and - their
current incarnation - as craft shops.

Convento de la Popa
For a bird's-eye view of Cartagena, take
a taxi (30-45min; around COP$50,000
return, haggle) up the hill 2km northeast
of the Castillo de San Felipe to the
Convento de la Popa (Mon-Fri
8am-5pm; COP$9000), outside the
city's walls. Don't walk: robberies have
been reported along that zigzagging
road. The restored whitewashed chapel,
built in 1608, is clearly visible from
almost anywhere in the city. In addition
to offering spectacular panoramic views
of the city, photos of Pope John Paul II's
1986 visit to Cartagena are also on
display in the small chapel. On February
2, when the city celebrates the day of its
patron saint, the Virgin of Candelaria ,
protector against pirates and the plague,
a candle-lit procession of pilgrims storms
the hill.

Catedral
Looming above the northeast corner of
the Plaza de Bolívar is the fortress-like
Catedral (Tues-Sun 10.30am-7pm;
COP$13,000), whose construction began
in 1575, but which wasn't completed
until 1612 due to setbacks such as its
partial destruction by cannon fire in 1586
by Sir Francis Drake when Cartagena was
slow to come up with the extortionate
ransom he demanded. he interior is airy
and pleasantly austere and the compulsory
audioguide tour very worthwhile.

Iglesia de Santo Toribio de
Mangrovejo
The compact church of Iglesia de Santo
Toribio de Mangrovejo on Calle del
Sargento Major, built between 1666 and
1732, has a particularly attractive interior,
with splendid Mudéjar panelling and a
striking altar. During the failed attack on
the city by Vernon in 1741, a cannonball

Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
More than a single, uniform wall,
Cartagena is surrounded by a series of
impressive fortresses, most of which are
still standing. The largest and most
important was Castillo de San Felipe de