You’ve probably wondered how everything you see today in the walled city was built. To understand Cartagena, you have to go back to the moment when its fortifications were just beginning to take shape and key areas of development started to emerge—like the neighborhood of Getsemaní.
Because before becoming one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the Caribbean, Getsemaní was Cartagena’s first neighborhood. Not because of tourism narratives. Not because of trends. But because of historical process.
This is where the city’s real expansion began. Its first growth beyond the original walled core took shape here, and something new started to emerge.
When Getsemaní Was an Outskirt Settlement
In the 17th century, Getsemaní was officially an arrabal: a settlement adjacent to the city, located outside the walled perimeter, as described by Valencia Villa (2022) in El Arrabal de Getsemaní de Cartagena de Indias en 1620.
Its location defined everything. It stood between the urban core and the Camino Real that connected Cartagena to the interior of the New Kingdom of Granada. It was the midpoint between the port and the mainland.
Gold from inland territories passed through this area, as did enslaved people newly arrived who continued their journey inland. Atlantic goods and agricultural products also moved through here, supplying the city. The urban slaughterhouse was also located in Getsemaní, reinforcing its role within the colonial economic system.
This is how the neighborhood was born: as an economic engine, a constant transit zone, and a strategic area. That early mix of commerce, social diversity, and movement shaped its identity.
You may also be interested in: Getsemaní: The Neighborhood That Became Cartagena’s Coolest Spot
Walls and Bastions: When the Outskirt Became Essential
The wealth flowing through Cartagena attracted pirate attacks in the late 16th century. The Spanish Crown responded directly: fortification.
The defensive system was designed by engineer Bautista Antonelli, and in the 1620s, bastions and forts began to rise, transforming the city’s profile. In this process, Getsemaní was fully enclosed by walls around 1631—before the main urban core was completely protected.
This outskirt was the only land access to Cartagena. Controlling it meant protecting the flow of gold, goods, and people that sustained the port’s economy. By securing Getsemaní, the entire city was secured.
This is how it stopped being a periphery and became a structural part of the colonial defensive system.
The Media Luna Gate: Economic and Military Control
Within the walled system, the Media Luna Gate became a strategic point. Defensive lines and a bastion were built there to control land access into the city.
Everything had to pass through this point: soldiers, livestock, goods, and merchants. It was not just an entrance; it was a control mechanism. Its function was military, but also fiscal.
Regulating access meant supervising the economic flow that sustained Cartagena.
Taken from El Universal / Source: Picturesque Geography of Colombia: New Granada as Seen by 19th-Century French Travelers
Why Getsemaní Is Cartagena’s First Neighborhood
Cartagena grew rapidly: the Spanish population increased from around 1,000 people in 1565 to approximately 6,000 by 1620. This included foreigners, free and enslaved Afro-descendant populations, and those tied to port commerce.
By 1620, more than 4,000 linear meters of frontage were already occupied in Getsemaní. The area showed urban consolidation, defined streets, and progressive expansion.
It was neither chaotic growth nor a perfect grid. It was an organic occupation shaped by economics, defense, and social dynamics.
That is why Getsemaní is considered Cartagena’s first neighborhood: it was the first consolidated urban expansion beyond the original walled city.
From Outskirt to Popular Neighborhood
Getsemaní was not an elite neighborhood. It was a working-class district where laborers, artisans, free Afro-descendants, and merchants lived. This social composition, distinct from the walled city, shaped its character.
In 1811, when Cartagena declared its independence, Getsemaní played a decisive role in the movement.
This is no coincidence. A territory that began as a space of transit became a space of resistance, one that still struggles to preserve the convergence of its popular culture and the inevitable pressures of tourism-driven development.
Read more: Tripita y Media street in Getsemaní: discover the 2 stories behind its name
Getsemaní Today: Living History
What began as a strategic outskirt is now one of the most active neighborhoods in Cartagena.
Today, Getsemaní has been internationally recognized as one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the world by publications such as Forbes, which included it among the must-visit places in the city.
Its transformation did not erase its history. It amplified it. Today, it is a cultural epicenter of the Caribbean:
- Urban art on every street
- Lively squares like Plaza de la Trinidad
- Diverse gastronomy
- Rooftops and spaces to enjoy
- Hotels that prioritize authenticity and design
Staying here means sleeping in Cartagena’s first neighborhood and waking up in one of its most dynamic areas.
Sources Note
This blog was developed using information from the academic article by Carlos Eduardo Valencia Villa (2022) on the Getsemaní outskirt, along with accounts from historians specialized in the urban history of Cartagena de Indias.
FAQs
Why is Getsemaní considered Cartagena’s first neighborhood?
Because it was the first consolidated urban expansion outside the walled city and served as the main land access point.
What does it mean that Getsemaní was an “arrabal”?
An arrabal was a settlement adjacent to the city, located outside its walls, functioning as a zone of expansion and economic transit.
What was the importance of the Media Luna Gate?
It was the only land access to Cartagena during the colonial period and had key military and fiscal functions.
Why is Getsemaní so popular today?
Because it combines history, living culture, urban art, and a strong gastronomic and hospitality scene, making it one of Cartagena’s most visited neighborhoods.
