Las Bovedas (The Vaults), Cartagena

The Vaults are a distinctive series of arched chambers built into Cartagena’s northern defensive walls, between the Bastions of Santa Clara and Santa Catalina. Constructed between 1789 and 1798, they were among the final major additions to the fortifications of the Old Town during the Spanish colonial period.

The imposing structure consists of 23 bombproof vaulted chambers beneath a long arcade of 47 arches. Originally intended primarily for military purposes, the chambers were used as storehouses for ammunition, provisions and other supplies, as well as quarters for Spanish troops. Their exceptionally thick stone walls and position within the fortifications provided protection against enemy bombardment. Republican forces later made use of the complex following independence.

During the 19th-century civil wars, the Vaults acquired a darker role when some of the chambers were used as prison cells. According to local accounts, seawater entered parts of the cells at high tide, sometimes leaving prisoners standing in water.

Today, the Vaults have a much more colourful purpose. The former military chambers form a lively marketplace, with numbered shops selling handicrafts, paintings, colourful clothing, jewellery, souvenirs and other Colombian goods. Walk beneath the vibrant yellow-and-white arcade and browse the individual chambers for traditional crafts.

Together with their location beside the historic walls and views towards the Caribbean Sea, the Vaults offer an unusual combination of military history, distinctive architecture and souvenir shopping.