Knock knock, who’s there? Some stunning knobs in Cartagena, that’s for sure!
Whether you’re a history buff, into architecture, or just love cute streets, Cartagena de las Indias is your absolute place to be in Colombia. The jewel of the Colombian Caribbean was found in 1533 and is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. That means you can still see and feel the history everywhere through its architecture; city walls, cobblestone streets, canons and maritime decorations. But it’s especially one asset of the walled city that won’t go by unnoticed: the pastel and flower adorned doors and its bright shining knockers, called aldabas.
The ancient artefacts were meant as a way to display the profession and its place within society of the family living in the houses behind the doors. The size of the knocker moreover would indicate how wealthy the particular family was. Therefore aldabas were the ultimate status symbol to the people in Cartagena.
It’s great fun to walk around in the labyrinth of streets, and to observe the different kind of knobs. You’ll most likely encounter some ‘hands’, those represent the hand of the Virgen of Fatima and refer to the religious background of the family, the most powerful of them all. Fishes, turtles seahorses, sea monsters and mermaids are used for maritime or merchant families. The lizards refer to royal Spanish heritage. The lion stand for the military background. The owl stands for luck, but I can’t remember if it tells something about a profession too.
The aldabas have become iconic symbols and are a fine reminder about the intense history of the city. If you’re planning to go to Cartagena, calculate a couple of hours of strolling through the streets of the center. And if you happen to hear the story behind the door knocker of the elephant (picture 4) or encounter some other gorgeous pieces, let me know!
