Cartagena has been one of the most important cities in Colombia since its founding in the 16th century and, at  certain times, competed with Bogota for political power. A city,  founded by Spanish conquerors, that endured the harassment of privateers and pirates. Their attacks made it to build a walled city. Its fortified structure gives the current identity to this coastal city and acts as a magnet for international tourism.
This book also talks about the bloody price that Cartagena had to pay during the war of independence for its strategic location and its desire to emancipate from Spainish Empire.