Cartegena - an odd city

 Cartegena is an odd city. As you drive in it appears whole swathes are being built, or rebuilt, or demolished, it's hard to know which. The same is true walking through the city where there are apparently undeveloped sections, and lots of facades with no building behind them. Some of it can be put down to archeology, as they appear to have rediscovered their past since about 1990.

We passed a memorial to Cartegenans (is there such a word?) Who had died in the German concentration camps, but no explanation of the context. Spain was a neutral, even fascist leaning country, so why would its citizens end up in the camps?

The main attraction was the Roman theatre. This had only been rediscovered in 1990 after having been built over by Romans, Moors and Spanish (well Castilians I believe). 

How do archeologists decide what layer to leave?

Cartegena was founded by the Carthaginians, who were, of course, from Carthage in North Africa. Then the Romans defeated the Carthaginians and built their own city. It was located on a peninsula within a bay so easily defended. Then the Vandals sacked the city, followed by the Moors who built it up again into one of their main ports. Then the Reconquista brought it back into Christian hands, though so insecurely it went backwards. Mining bought in money in the 19thC but the Civil War saw it on the losing side, suffering aerial bombardment many times.

 Interestingly, areas within the bay have been reclaimed such that the city is no longer on a peninsula. Our parkup appears to be where an inner bay had been, and perhaps that's why it is not much developed?

The port is an important naval base and in particular for submarines. There were two tied up and one in drydock that I could see, and about 7 surface ships of various sizes. It's also a small container port, oil terminal and fishing port, as well as having a leisure marina.

Anyway, as well as the theatre there was a Roman forum and an anfitheatre slash bullring, though that appeared to be having some heavy work done on it. 

The grey tower at right is an elevator and viewpoint. At its bottom is the Civil War museum which was in tunnels built as shelters. The bullring/amphitheatre is at left, and Moorish defences at rear.

The forum. Just visible is the Molinette which was a windmill(s) on one of the four hills that the city was built on. 

Plenty of fancy 19thC buildings as the mining money came in and the new city was built. I think this was when the reclamation was done.

We think there was a gay pride celebration coming up.

You can see a little of what I meant about undeveloped sections, though in this case buildings seem to have been pulled down.

All-in-all a curious city. Lots of history, but they still seem to be rediscovering it.p