Getsemani (locally pronounced starting with an “H” sound) is the first neighborhood outside the main walled city of Cartagena. Originally the home of slaves and the working class, in the 1600s Getsemani was enclosed by an extension of the city’s fortifications as a recognition of the growing importance of the neighborhood.
In the early 1800s, Getsemani was one of the catalysts for Colombia’s nascent independence movement as local residents stormed the city council and pronounced themselves free from Spanish rule.
The difference in the economic position of the residents of Getsemani compared to those of central Cartagena is clear in the architecture; the old buildings of Getsemani are decidedly less upscale, missing the wooden balconies and ornaments of its fancier neighbor. But the neighborhood makes up for it in charm and energy – street murals line the stone walls, flags flutter over the narrow streets, and music echoes from the street performers, bars and restaurants.
