Houses and Streets

The little streets of Cartagena are one of the best memories you can take from our city. As a guide, it is easier to locate streets by their names instead of their nomenclature.

CALLE BALOCO: It is one of the most traditional and typical streets of Cartagena, located in an important sector of the city. The official name of this street is Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.

CALLE COCHERA DEL GOBERNADOR: The official name of this street is Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados, patroness of Valencia. A long time ago, on this street, there was a house that communicated with The Palace of Inquisition located near contemporary Government offices.

CALLE DE DON SANCHO: Its official name is Nuestra Señora de La Merced. It is possible that this name is due to the legendary Don Sancho Jimeno de Orozco, who was governor in 1693 to 1695.

CALLE DE LA FACTORIA: Also called Calle de la Marquesita. Its official name is Calle de Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria. It is said that it was named after the flour factory that the Marquis of Valdehoyos had in his house.

CALLE DE LA UNIVERSIDAD: This street has had several names. First, it was called Calle Rafael Calvo, by order of the city council. It was declared it would bear the name of the outstanding and meritorious son of Cartagena, who lived many years in this area. Then, following the founding of the first public school for girls, called La Igualdad it adopted the same name, and today it is called Calle de la Universidad in honor of the Alma Mater of Cartagena.

CALLE DE PORTERÍA DE SANTA CLARA: Initially called Calle de Nuestra señora del Transito and later renamed Calle del Torno de Santa Clara. This name change was due to the entrance of the main door existed during Torno. On April 13, 1683, this street was the scene of a confrontation between the Franciscan friars and the nuns of the convent of Santa Clara due to the measures implemented by the Bishop of the Diocese, Miguel Antonio de Benavides, for the benefit of the clergy. The Clarisas asked the bishop to free them from the mandate of the monks of San Francisco, and this led to a bloody war between both communities.

CALLE DE SAN AGUSTÍN: For many years it was called Calle de Nuestra señora del Consuelo or de San Agustín Chiquita, names derived from the Chapel and Convent of San Agustín of great importance during the Virreinal era.

CALLE DE SANTA TERESA: There are three streets of Santa Teresa. The first goes from the corner of Baloco or the corner of the Ladies, whose official name is Our Lady of Las Latas. The second that runs from the corner of Baloco to the corner of San Juan de Dios (lathe of Santa Teresa) and the last one that goes from the corner of Baloco to the beach of triumph (street of the victory of Santa Teresa).

CALLE DE SANTO DOMINGO: Three streets lead to the church and convent of Santo Domingo. The first street runs between the corner of Baloco street and Santo Domingo square (calle de Nuestra Señora del Carmen). The other street comes from the corner of saints (street of our lady of the Rosary / palenque). In his neighborhood lived the hero of our independence doctor José Fernández De Madrid.

CALLE DEL COLEGIO: The school was the Royal College of San Carlos Borromeo, its official name is Calle de Nuestra Señora de Begoña, as a devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

CALLE DEL COLISEO: This road has had many names: Calle de Nuestra Señora de Belén, Calle del Colegio, Calle del Teatro y Calle del Coliseo. The latter has lasted to this day.

CALLE DEL CUARTEL: The official street name of Our Lady of La Divina Pastora and it is called as such because the military barracks of the fixed regiment is located here. Viceroy D. Manuel Guirior was the architect in 1773.

CALLE DEL ESTANCO DEL AGUARDIENTE: The government-licensed aguardiente operator ran on this street for many years, so this road today bears his name.

CALLE DEL TEJADILLO: Its official name is Calle de Nuestra Señora del Bien. It seems that its name honors the roof of the colonial houses of the city, but the real reason is the surname Tejadillo, illustrious at the time of the colony.

CALLE ROMANA: This street is also known as Calle del Platero since many silversmiths worked here. Enrique L. Román was born here. Enrique gave his life to the city, for which it was nicknamed Roman Street.

CALLEJÓN DE LOS ESTRIBOS: iIts initial name was our Lady of La Luz, the Dominican parents decided to build the buttresses, because the foundations that existed were not stable. The people of Cartagena chose to call it the alley instead of the street since it was narrow with stirrups.

ALCALDÍA DE CARTAGENA: Its façade occupies one side of the square, it consists of arcades on the first floor and balconies run on the second, with wide roofs of clay tiles. Above the wall towards the Pier of the Pegasos you can see the other side of its facade.

CASA RAFAEL NÚÑEZ: Built at the end of the 19th century, its architecture reflects the typical Caribbean country houses. It has always been identified by the colors white and green. On one of its walls were written the lyrics of the National Anthem of the Republic, whose author is Rafael Núñez.

CASA DEL MARQUÉZ DE VALDEHOYOS: TA two-story building that belonged to the Marquéz De Valdehoyos. With colonial architecture, its windows stand out finely carved in wooden bars.

PALACIO DE LA GOBERNACIÓN: Located in front of the Cathedral, the building has retained its use as the headquarters of the Departmental of Government.

PALACIO DE LA INQUISICIÓN: One of the most impressive buildings in the city due to the richness of its design. Its façade is an accurate reflection of what the colonial era meant. Here the cruelest tortures implanted by the Inquisition were lived. It is located opposite the Plaza de Bolívar. The colonial room, the inquisitor's chambers, the torture chamber and the witchcraft pavilion are still preserved inside the house.

Find HERE the rooms that are in these streets