The story
Welcome to the heart of San Diego, arguably the most soulful and romantic corner of Cartagena’s walled city. As you stand here in the Plaza Fernández de Madrid, take a deep breath. The air here feels a bit different—cooler, perhaps, shaded by the emerald canopy of old trees and scented by the vibrant bougainvillea spilling over nearby balconies.
This square is named after José Fernández de Madrid, a local hero, physician, and poet whose statue keeps watch over the center of the park. But if you feel a sense of literary magic in the air, you aren't imagining it. For fans of Gabriel García Márquez, this is the Plaza de los Evangelios from his masterpiece, Love in the Time of Cholera.
It was right here, on one of these benches, that the character Florentino Ariza would sit for hours, pretending to read a book while desperately waiting for a glimpse of his beloved Fermina Daza. Now, let your eyes travel to the corner of the plaza where a modest but elegant white building stands. This is the Iglesia de Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo.
Don’t let its size fool you. While it is the smallest and last colonial church built in the city, completed around 1736, it holds a story of survival that is nothing short of miraculous. Look up at the facade and imagine the year 1741.
Cartagena was under a brutal siege by the British Admiral Edward Vernon, who brought one of the largest fleets in naval history to these shores. During a morning mass, while the pews were filled with frightened worshippers, a heavy English cannonball smashed through the roof of the church. It crashed onto the floor right in the middle of the congregation.
Miraculously, the shell did not explode, and not a single soul was harmed. If you step inside, you can still see that very cannonball preserved in a glass case on the wall, a heavy iron witness to the city’s resilience. As you enter, look up.
The ceiling is a rare treasure—an exquisite example of Mudejar craftsmanship. This intricate woodwork, influenced by Moorish design, features interlocking geometric patterns that seem to shift as you move. It is one of the few original colonial ceilings of its kind left in the city.
The main altarpiece, carved from wood and covered in shimmering gold leaf, glows in the soft light, creating an atmosphere of profound intimacy that the grander cathedrals often lack. As you step back out into the bright Caribbean sun of San Diego, take a moment to appreciate the rhythm of this place. This neighborhood was once home to the city’s artisans and craftsmen, and that creative spirit remains today.
Whether you are following the ghosts of star-crossed lovers or the path of a miraculous cannonball, you are standing in the very soul of Cartagena. Enjoy your stroll through these colorful streets, where every stone has a story to tell.