Puerta del Reloj

The Puerta del Reloj is the grand gateway into Cartagena's walled old city, a clock-topped stone portal that has welcomed visitors for centuries. Facing the horse-carriage plaza outside the walls, it is the most iconic entrance to one of the great fortified cities of the Americas.

The gate was the main land entrance to the colonial port, built into the massive walls that Spain raised to defend Cartagena's treasure from pirates. Originally it held a chapel and an armory in its flanking arches, and a drawbridge once crossed a moat here linking the walled center to the outer districts.

Its distinctive clock tower came later. In the nineteenth century a yellow republican-style tower with a four-faced clock was added above the central arch, giving the gate its present name and silhouette. That tower, glowing warm against the sky, has become the emblem of Cartagena, endlessly photographed by arriving visitors, and its bells and clock faces still mark the hours over the old town.

Passing through the arch is a moment of arrival. Beyond it opens the Plaza de los Coches, a triangular colonial square ringed by balconied houses and arcades, once the site of the slave market and now filled with cafés and sweet-sellers. From here the walled city's streets of bougainvillea-draped mansions, churches and plazas spread out, all within the World Heritage-listed ramparts, where vendors in colorful dress balance bowls of tropical fruit on their heads. The gate sits between the old city and the lively Getsemaní district, so it is a natural hinge for exploring both on foot. Horse carriages and street performers gather in the plaza outside, especially in the evening. Cartagena is hot and humid year-round; the drier, breezier months from December to April are the most comfortable for walking the walls and the historic streets beyond the gate.