Catedral de Santa Catalina de Alejandria (Cartagena Cathedral), Cartagena

Sitting on the corner of the lively Bolivar Square in Cartagena is the magnificent church of Spanish Renaissance style, brightly painted in lemon-yellow with a white trim. The bell tower and dome rising over the rooftops of the Old City make it really hard to miss this architectural landmark.

The temple, officially known as the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Santa Catalina of Alexandria, is the episcopal see of the Archbishop of Cartagena de Indias (one of the oldest episcopal sees in the Americas), and it is dedicated to the Christian martyr, Santa Catalina (aka Saint Catherine) of Alexandria.

The cathedral was built between 1577 and 1612, replacing a modest church of wood and reeds on this site. In 1586, while still under construction, the building suffered severe damage which seriously delayed its completion when Cartagena came under attack by the English privateer (pirate) Francis Drake. Armed with a fleet of up to 23 warships and more than 3,000 men, Drake captured the city and looted it for six weeks, threatening to destroy the cathedral, unless a juicy ransom was paid.

The first warning shot that he fired on the structure struck one of the columns, knocking it down and taking two more with it. The four arches supported by the columns and part of the roof also collapsed as a result. Finally, the Cartagenians agreed to pay “El Draque” 110,000 silver ducats to stop the destruction.

The original structure of the cathedral has been preserved to this day almost unchanged. Designed by master builder Simón González, it was modeled on basilicas in Andalusia, Spain and the Canary Islands. Later, in 1908, the tower and the dome of the cathedral were refurbished, but the balconies, the main portal, and the cornices are original from the colonial era.

The interior includes three naves divided by columned archways. The gilded high altar is large and exquisite, featuring small statuary and ornate gold decorations. High up on the side walls, there are nicely carved wooden reliefs depicting religious scenes. Also noteworthy is the gorgeous marble flooring of checkered tiles in shades of black and white.

Outside, in Plaza de la Proclamación (Proclamation Square), you can see a bronze statue of Pope John Paul II, a monument to the papal visit in 1986.