Free State of Cartagena, Former republic in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
The Free State of Cartagena was a short-lived independent territory on the Caribbean coast of present-day Colombia, with Cartagena de Indias as its center of government. The territory covered the coastal region around the bay of Cartagena and relied on a network of fortifications to secure its borders.
On November 11, 1811, the territory declared independence from Spain, becoming the first region of present-day Colombia to do so. This independence ended in December 1815, when Spanish forces retook the region after a long siege.
The movement that led to independence brought together free Black people, merchants, and craftsmen from very different social backgrounds. Their shared effort was unusual for the region at the time and left marks that can still be felt in the neighborhoods of Cartagena de Indias today.
The area of the former state can be explored today mainly in and around Cartagena de Indias, where many of the old fortifications still stand. Walking through the old city and along the coast gives a good sense of the geography of the former territory.
During its brief independence, the territory issued its own currency and adopted one of the earliest constitutions in the region. That constitution included provisions that went well beyond what was being discussed elsewhere in South America at the same time.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
