Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, Colonial fortress in Cartagena, Colombia.
The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is a colonial fortress on San Lázaro hill in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The structure consists of thick stone walls, eight batteries, and a tunnel network that connects the different defensive levels.
Construction began in 1536, and the fortress was expanded between 1639 and 1657 under governors Pedro Zapata de Mendoza and Francisco de Murga, with plans by engineer Ricardo Carr. African slave labour built it under Spanish supervision, first as Castillo de San Lázaro. Antonio de Arévalo expanded it again from 1762, and works were completed in 1798 at a cost of about 13,235 gold pesos.
The name honors King Philip IV of Spain, while the fortress now serves as a landmark for the city. Visitors see the massive construction and preserved defensive structures that show the military power of the Spanish colonial period.
The site opens daily for visitors who can walk through part of the tunnels and see the defensive mechanisms. Guided tours explain the military use and construction methods of the fortress.
The main underground gallery runs along the perimeter of the complex at sea level, and chambers within it could be exploded to stop attackers advancing above. Only some of the tunnels are open to visitors today. The fortification stands 41 metres above sea level.
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