Las Bóvedas (The Vaults) are a structure in the Old City of Cartagena in

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

, attached to the walls. The Caribbean Sea is visible from the top of the structure. They were built as

dungeon A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably derives more from the Renaissance period. An oubliette (fr ...

s. They are located between the forts of Santa Clara and Santa Catalina.

Structure

The cells in the dungeon now house shops, boutiques and other businesses along the stout walls protecting the old city of

Cartagena, Colombia Cartagena ( ), known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias (), is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region, along the Caribbean Sea. Cartagena's past role as a link in the route ...

. 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. The 23 bombproof vaults were built between 1789 and 1795, based on Antonio de Arebalo's design. The 47

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...

s were completed in 1798. The vaults were used by the Spanish Crown as a

garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...

, the same purpose used by patriot and republican forces. Today, Las Bóvedas is a popular tourist attraction because of its traditional Colombian merchandise and vast array of souvenirs.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Las Bovedas Defunct prisons in Colombia Buildings and structures in Cartagena, Colombia Spanish Colonial architecture in Colombia Tourist attractions in Cartagena, Colombia