Philatelic Photograph: Cerro de La Popa (Hill of the Stern) - Cartagena, Colombia

Cerro de la Popa 

(Hill of the Stern)

Cartagena, Colombia

N 10° 25.154 W 075° 31.549

Short Description: 

The Cerro de La Popa is the is the highest point in Cartagena, Colombia. On top is a 17th century Augustinian monastery.

Long Description:

This 150 meter high landform that rises above the city of Cartagena was first named by the Spanish in 1510. They called it "Cerro de la Galera" ("Hill of the Galley") because it resembled the hull of a huge sailing ship and they named the top of the hill "La Popa de la Galera" ("Stern of the Galley"). Today it is known as the "Cerro de La Popa."

On its top is the colonial church and convent of the Order of Augustinian Recollects that was built between 1609 and 1611. It is officially called Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, Our Lady of Candelaria, the patroness of the city of Cartagena. From from 1822 to 1963 the Convent of the Popa was confiscated by civil authorities and ceased to be inhabited by the Augustinian Recollects. Subsequently, the complex was recovered by the Augustinian monks.

The stamp was issued by Colombia in 1902 as part of a series of three pictorial stamps showing scenes of cities on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.