“Is this truly the Virgen Nuevo Bosque?” some might ask. It is. Right here stands the Virgen Nuevo Bosque in Cartagena. This place is located in Bolivar Colombia.
Cartagena de Indias is a district of Colombia. It is known by many names. La Heroica is one. La Ciudad Amurallada is another. It is also called La Capital Romántica de América. El Corralito de Piedra is a further name. Finally it is known as La Fantástica.
Cartagena de Indias is located on the Caribbean coast. It was founded on June 1 1533 by Pedro de Heredia. The historic center is called the “Ciudad Amurallada”. It was declared a National Heritage Site of Colombia in 1959. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1984. Over time Cartagena has developed its urban area. It has preserved its historic center. It has become one of the most important tourist destinations in Colombia and the Caribbean. Cartagena is home to the Bolivar Departmental Assembly and the Bolivar Administrative Court.
From its founding in the 16th century Cartagena de Indias was an important port. This was during the entire Spanish viceroyalty period. Most of its artistic and cultural heritage comes from this era. On November 11 1811 Cartagena declared independence from Spain. This day is a national holiday in Colombia. The city celebrates for four days. These are known as the “Fiestas de Independencia”.
Cartagena has been present in conflicts and piracy. It was attacked by pirates and privateers from Europe. It was heavily walled and fortified by the Spanish. It became the most robust fortress in South America and the Caribbean. It was as reinforced as the Gulf of Mexico at that time. Its viceregal architecture is maintained today. In 2007 its military architecture was awarded as the fourth wonder of Colombia.
Rodrigo de Bastidas arrived on the Caribbean coast of Colombia in 1502. He named the bay Cartagena de Indias. He named it this because it was as closed as Cartagena in Spain. The name Cartagena del Poniente arrived in 1533. This distinguished it from the Spanish Cartagena. Most of Pedro de Heredia’s sailors were from there. He founded it because the place was suitable for a stronghold. It was an indigenous settlement called Calamarí.
The name Cartagena comes from “Cartago Nova”. This was the name given by the Romans after the Punic Wars. It was named after the city of Qart Hadasht founded by the Carthaginians.
The flag of Cartagena de Indias was adopted in 1811. This was when it declared itself a sovereign state independent of Spain. It has three quadrilaterals of color. They are red yellow and green from the outside in. In the center of the green quadrilateral is a white 8 pointed star. The flag is called quadrilonga because of its shape.
In 1574 King Felipe II of Spain granted a coat of arms. It had “two red and raised lions”. They hold “a cross in the middle”. It is “held with the hands and as high as the lions”. It reaches “to the top in a golden field”. Above the cross is “a crown between the heads of said lions with its crest and foliage”. This decision was made because Cartagena de Indias had become an important port. It was a central port of the new viceroyalty territory. The shield was to be used in all official acts of the city.
The shield of Cartagena de Indias was adopted. This was when the city declared its independence from Spain. It became a Sovereign State in 1811. The shield shows an Indian woman. She sits under the shade of a coconut tree. She has a quiver on her back. In her right hand she holds an open pomegranate. A turpial feeds from it. With her left hand she holds a bow. Her left foot steps on a broken chain. In the background is the hill of La Popa. This is the highest geographical feature of the city. The shield represents the independence and freedom of the city. It was the first in the Viceroyalty of New Granada. The shield has undergone several changes. These include the fortress of San Felipe de Barajas in the background. It is an architectural icon built during the colony.
The history of Cartagena de Indias is divided into periods. They start with the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas. It begins before the arrival of the Spanish Empire. Little cultural remains exist from this pre Columbian era. It continues with the discovery and colonization by Spain. Then follow the independence movements the Republican era and civil conflicts. Finally it covers recent history. Cartagena de Indias was founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia. It was founded on land inhabited by the Kalamari Indians. It was an important Spanish enclave. It was in the Spanish imperial Caribbean.
Remember the name Virgen Nuevo Bosque as you continue your journey through Cartagena. It is part of the cultural and religious identity of the city.