From Barracks to Hotel: The Military History of the Fortifications That Are Now Hotels and Museums

Origins

Cartagena de Indias was not built for tourism. It was built for war. Every wall that today holds a balcony covered in bougainvillea, every vault that today sells wayuu bags, every courtyard that today refreshes a guest with a cocktail, was born of a military necessity: defending the most coveted port in the Caribbean from pirates, privateers and enemy fleets. That is the key to understanding why the city has so many hotels and museums that smell of gunpowder and coral stone.

The defensive system of Cartagena —declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984— took more than two centuries to complete. It began to take shape at the end of the 16th century, after Francis Drake's attacks in 1586, and extended well into the 18th century. Walls, bastions, forts, batteries and barracks were raised with stone extracted from the quarries of the island of Tierra Bomba and with enslaved labor and local workers. What is today a postcard was, for generations, a permanent construction site.

The question many travelers ask themselves as they walk through the Historic Center is simple: where does the wall end and where does the hotel begin? The answer is that, in Cartagena, that border almost does not exist. Before getting into specific cases, it is worth debunking a couple of myths that circulate in tourist brochures. There are no visitable Cold War bunkers or tunnels in Cartagena, nor a "military secret" hidden beneath the walls. What does exist —and is much more interesting— is a real, documented and standing military architecture that was reused for civil, religious and hotel purposes throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. That is what this tour is about.

Timeline and historical milestones

1586: Drake and the defensive awakening

Francis Drake's attack on Cartagena in 1586 made it clear that the port was vulnerable. From then on, the Spanish Crown devoted resources to a defensive plan that included walls, bastions and forts. The city began to "enclose" itself and fortify systematically, with military engineers such as Bautista Antonelli among those responsible for tracing the first major works.

17th century: the convent that became a barracks

One of the cases most cited by local historians is that of the convent of the Poor Clares, founded in the 17th century in the heart of the Center. Over time, and after the religious community moved, the building passed into military hands and served as a barracks. That dual identity —convent and barracks— is what today sustains the story of Hotel Santa Clara, one of the city's most historically significant lodgings. It is worth clarifying that the "Bóvedas de San Felipe" sometimes mentioned in blogs have no record in Cartagena; the documented historic vaults are those of Santa Clara, linked to the old Cuartel de Las Bóvedas.

18th century: the golden age of the fortifications

The 18th century saw the greatest military investment. The walls of the Center and of Getsemaní were reinforced, bastions such as that of San Francisco Javier were built, and forts were raised at strategic points around the bay. During this period the Fuerte de San Sebastián del Pastelillo, in the Manga neighborhood, was also consolidated, guarding the entrance to the inner bay. The city lived under a permanent garrison regime, with barracks, gunpowder stores and housing for officers.

19th century: independence and reuse

After the independence of Cartagena in 1811 and the subsequent consolidation of the Republic, many military installations lost their original function. Some became schools, others prisons, others administrative headquarters. The vaults of the walls —vaulted spaces built to store ammunition and supplies— began to be rented out as warehouses and workshops. That is the origin of today's Bóvedas de Santa Clara, now occupied by craft shops and stores.

20th century: from barracks to hotel and museum

The great leap occurred in the 20th century. The old convent-barracks of Santa Clara was transformed into a luxury hotel, preserving original walls, arches and courtyards. The vaults of the walls became the most visited craft market in the Center. The Fuerte de San Sebastián del Pastelillo came to house a social club and later a gastronomic and cultural space. The city did not tear down its barracks: it recycled them. And in that recycling it found its best business.

1984 and beyond: heritage and tourism

The UNESCO declaration in 1984 accelerated the restoration and conversion of historic buildings into boutique hotels, museums and cultural centers. Since then, the question is no longer whether a building was a barracks, but how much of that past is preserved in the visitor's view. That conversation is still alive today: the city debates how to balance conservation with tourist pressure.

Key figures and events

Hotel Santa Clara

Hotel Santa Clara is the best-known example of how a religious and military building ended up as a luxury hotel. Its origins go back to the convent of the Poor Clares in the 17th century; after the community moved, the building served as a barracks before becoming a lodging. Today it preserves arches, stone walls and courtyards that stand as testimony to that double life. Walking through its corridors is walking through layers of history: the conventual silence, the noise of the troops and, now, the murmur of international guests.

Las Bóvedas de Santa Clara

Las Bóvedas de Santa Clara are the set of vaulted spaces built into the walls to store ammunition and military supplies. Over time, those stone arches became commercial premises. Today they house shops selling crafts, hats, bags and souvenirs, and they are one of the must-see walks of the Historic Center. Access to the complex is free and it is explored on foot; the prices of the items vary and it is worth comparing before buying. It is an ideal place to understand, at a glance, how military infrastructure was recycled into a civil economy.

Fuerte de San Sebastián del Pastelillo

In the Manga neighborhood, the Fuerte de San Sebastián del Pastelillo is one of those corners that many tourists overlook. Built to guard the entrance to the inner bay, it now serves as the headquarters of a social club and a gastronomic space, with views of the water and the walled city. Its military architecture —bastions, low walls, strategic position— is still legible to those who know how to look. It is a good place for a quiet meal and to understand that the defense of Cartagena was not limited to the Center. The complex has private use in some areas, so it is worth checking hours and access before going.

The military engineers and the enslaved labor force

Behind every wall there is a name that almost never appears in the brochures: the military engineers who designed the defensive system and, above all, the enslaved and free workers who raised the works. The history of the fortifications is also the history of exploitation and forced labor. Acknowledging it is part of understanding Cartagena honestly, without romanticizing the military past.

Current state

Today Cartagena lives a paradox: its fortifications are at once monument and business. The historic hotels of the Center —such as the Santa Clara— operate with high conservation standards, but also with prices that reflect international demand. Las Bóvedas de Santa Clara remain an active craft market, with shops that open every day and a constant flow of visitors. The Fuerte de San Sebastián del Pastelillo maintains its social and gastronomic use, with limited access to certain areas.

For the traveler interested in military architecture, the practical recommendation is to walk with time and look up and down: the arches, the arrow slits, the coral walls and the inner courtyards tell the story better than any plaque.

A local tip: if you want to distinguish the original from the restored, look at the stone. The original coral stone has an irregular texture and erosion marks; modern restorations tend to be more uniform. Always ask local guides and be wary of stories that include secret tunnels or bunkers: they do not exist as a visitable attraction in the city. The real history —convents turned into barracks, barracks turned into hotels, vaults turned into shops— is much richer than any myth.

Practical guide for your visit

If you want to sleep between walls that were once military, book in advance during high season. On malokal.com you will find the interactive cards for each lodging with history, with a safe map by neighborhood (Locals vs. Foreigners), live holiday hours and direct contact via WhatsApp to book without intermediaries. Reference ranges for a night in a historic hotel in the Center go from about $450,000 COP in low season to more than $2,500,000 COP in luxury suites, always subject to change and to the date of inquiry. At Las Bóvedas de Santa Clara, items start at about $15,000 COP and up; these are indicative values that are worth confirming before buying.

And if you prefer to understand first and stay later, join a guided tour of the transformed fortifications: the city is enjoyed more when you know what you are looking at.