The story
Welcome to one of the most enchanting corners of Cartagena. As you stand here in the Plaza Fernández de Madrid, take a deep breath and notice how the air feels just a little cooler under the canopy of these massive, leafy trees. You are in the heart of the San Diego neighborhood, a place that many locals consider the true soul of the old city.
While the larger plazas near the city gates are often buzzing with frantic energy, this square offers a more intimate, bohemian rhythm. Look toward the center of the plaza, and you will see the statue of the man for whom this space is named: José Joaquín Fernández de Madrid. He was a true Renaissance man of the early nineteenth century—a physician, a poet, and a hero of Colombian independence who even served as president during a particularly turbulent era.
His presence here is a reminder of Cartagena’s intellectual and revolutionary history, but today, he stands guard over a place that feels more like a living room for the community. If this plaza feels strangely familiar to you, you might be remembering it from the pages of literature. This very spot served as the inspiration for the "Plaza de los Evangelios" in Gabriel García Márquez’s masterpiece, Love in the Time of Cholera.
Imagine Florentino Ariza sitting on one of these very benches, pretending to read a book while secretly pineing for Fermina Daza, watching her as she moved through the surrounding streets. There is a romantic, timeless quality here that makes it easy to see why the Nobel laureate was so captivated by this square. On one side of the plaza stands the humble but historic Church of Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo.
Built in the early eighteenth century, it is the last church constructed within the city walls. Step inside if you can, and look up at the stunning Mudejar-style carved wooden ceiling. If you look closely at the walls near the altar, you might find a curious relic: a cannonball.
During the infamous 1741 attack by the British Admiral Edward Vernon, a cannonball crashed through the roof while mass was being held, but miraculously, it didn't explode, and no one was harmed. As you continue your walk, notice the architecture surrounding the plaza. These colorful colonial houses with their heavy wooden doors and balconies draped in vibrant bougainvillea represent the quintessential Cartagena aesthetic.
In the evenings, this area transforms. The scent of jasmine and grilled arepas fills the air, and the quiet afternoon gives way to the soft clinking of glasses from the nearby cafes. It is a place to linger, to observe, and to feel the heartbeat of a city that has survived sieges and pirates only to become one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Take a moment to find a seat, watch the world go by, and let the history of San Diego settle around you.