The story
Welcome to the Camellón de los Mártires. As you stand here on this wide, sun-drenched promenade, you are positioned at the literal and metaphorical gateway of Cartagena’s history. To one side, the iconic yellow silhouette of the Clock Tower stands as the sentinel of the walled city.
To the other, the spirited, colorful streets of Getsemaní beckon. But this walkway is much more than a mere passage between two districts; it is a site of profound solemnity and the pulsing heart of Colombian independence. Take a moment to look at the white marble busts lining the path.
These figures are the martyrs for whom this space is named. In 1816, during the Spanish Reconquest, the brutal General Pablo Morillo—known as The Pacifier—sought to crush the dream of liberty once and for all. He ordered the execution of nine of the city’s most prominent intellectual and military leaders right here.
These men, including figures like Manuel del Castillo and José María García de Toledo, were led to this spot to face a firing squad. They died not as criminals, but as architects of a new nation. As you walk toward Getsemaní, notice how the atmosphere shifts.
While the walled city behind you was once the seat of colonial power and the elite, Getsemaní was the neighborhood of the craftsmen, the freed slaves, and the laboring class. It was actually here, among the common people, that the first real cry for absolute independence from Spain was heard in 1811. The Camellón serves as the bridge between those two worlds—the high-walled fortress of the Spanish Crown and the rebellious, creative soul of the people.
Listen for a moment to the rhythm of the area. You’ll hear the calls of street vendors selling fresh fruit and the clip-clop of horse-drawn carriages. If you look toward the water, you’ll see the Muelle de los Pegasos, where two giant winged horses leap toward the sky, symbolizing the city's poetic spirit and its unyielding strength.
As the sun begins to set, the stone of the Camellón turns a warm gold. This is the best time to feel the duality of Cartagena: the heavy weight of a colonial past and the vibrant, dancing energy of its present. The martyrs may have fallen here over two centuries ago, but as you step off this promenade and into the narrow, mural-lined streets of Getsemaní, you’ll see that the freedom they died for is very much alive in every splash of color and every beat of Caribbean music.
Enjoy your walk into the heart of the rebellion.