With just one glance at the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas in Cartagena, all the plans of conquering the city, country or even the world dissolve into nowhere. This fortress is enormous and impregnable. It seems that any attempt to enter the premises of the fortress will end in a fiasco. And so it did.

In the 18th century, there was no way to get into the fortress. But now it is possible and is even welcomed. The gigantic fortress with austere stone walls is one of the most famous attractions in Cartagena.

The history of the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas started with pirates. Cartagena was constantly raided by sea pirates. The decisive blow that destroyed the city was made by Francis Drake, who was greedy for profit and supported by the British government. That was the final straw, so the citizens of Cartagena launched the construction of the fortress. The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas proved its sturdiness at the height of fighting between Spanish and English. Her Majesty’s subjects had to lay down their arms and leave for their native land.

However, the memory of that fight lives on. A cannonball shot from a British ship stuck in the 25-meters wall. The nave stood the blow, and it was decided to leave the cannonball as it was.

The top of the fortress offers a fantastic view of the Caribbean Sea and Cartagena itself. But you need to get to the top first. This fortress is so massive that you will have to spend more than one hour discovering it. The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is built in several tiers, there are underground ones as well. Each floor is impressive, and each stone is a witness to history. There are always many tourists in the fortress, but because of its size, they all disperse, and there is no crowding effect.

The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is a perfect place for a promenade, a dive into history, or a mass cultural event. The local authorities often arrange meetings, and sometimes even huge conferences in the fort’s area. For example, the Summit of the Americas took place here in 2012.