The story
Welcome to Parque del Centenario. You are standing in the lush, green seam that stitches together the grand, colonial walled city with the soulful, rebellious neighborhood of Getsemaní. This isn't just a park; it is a monument to freedom and a sanctuary for the unexpected.
Take a slow breath. Can you feel the shift in temperature? The massive canopy of old-growth trees provides a natural shield from the intense Caribbean sun, a cooling embrace that has welcomed locals for over a century.
This park was inaugurated in 1911 to celebrate the first one hundred years of Cartagena’s independence from Spain. Before it was a landscaped plaza, this area was a marshy transition zone just outside the city walls. Today, it stands as a tribute to the Lanceros de Getsemaní—the brave, working-class residents who sparked the revolution in 1811.
If you look toward the center of the park, you will see the soaring monument to Liberty. The bronze figures and the tall pedestal are reminders of the grit and sacrifice that defined this city’s spirit. But now, I want you to look up.
Stop for a moment and scan the high branches of the banyan and mango trees. If you are patient and quiet, you might spot some of the park’s most famous and unlikely residents. This urban forest is home to a colony of slow-moving sloths, families of red-howler monkeys, and prehistoric-looking iguanas that bask on the lower limbs.
It is a surreal sight—wildlife thriving right in the middle of a bustling urban center. These animals are the silent guardians of the park, beloved by the locals who share this space with them every day. As you wander the paved paths, you will notice the long rows of book stalls lining the perimeter.
These vendors have been a staple here for decades. They offer everything from well-worn copies of Gabriel García Márquez novels to vintage maps of the Spanish Main. This is where the intellectual heart of the city beats.
You might see a heated game of chess happening on a stone table or hear the rhythmic clink of a nearby coffee cart. Parque del Centenario is the gateway to the vibrant street art and colorful umbrellas of Getsemaní. As you prepare to exit toward the neighborhood, remember that you are walking the same route the revolutionaries once took.
This park is a place of transition—moving you from the formal, stone history of the Spanish crown into the wild, artistic, and fiercely independent soul of modern Cartagena. Enjoy the lingering shade and the rustle of the leaves before you step back into the sun.