Las Bóvedas
Las Bóvedas
Las Bóvedas were built to be dungeons. They are located between the forts of Santa Clara and Santa Catalina.
The cells in the dungeon now house shops, boutiques and other businesses along
the stout walls protecting the old city of Cartagena, Colombia.
The arcades deep in the walls were designed as storage vaults but were used as
prison cells during the civil wars in the 19th century; at high tide, the
unfortunate internees were up to their knees in seawater.
These are 23 dungeons built between 1792 and 1796 in the city walls, which are
more than 15 meters thick in this part. These dungeons were the last major
construction carried out in colonial times and were destined for military
purposes. The vaults were used by the Spaniards as storerooms for munitions and
provisions, before they became jail cells. Today, Las Bovedas is a popular
tourist attraction because of its traditional Colombian merchandise and vast
array of souvenirs.
