Cartagena, Spain

Cartagena is a city in Spain.

It sits by the big blue sea. The city has a safe place for boats.

Many people lived there a long time ago. They built strong walls.

People also built a large theatre. It was made by the Romans.

Today, many ships visit the city. It is a special place to see.

Cartagena is a city in southeast Spain.

It sits in a place called the Region of Murcia. The city has a natural harbor by the Mediterranean Sea. This makes it a great place for ships.

People have lived here for a very long time. A leader named Hasdrubal founded the city around 227 BC. Later, the Romans took the city. They called it Carthago Nova.

The Romans used silver mines nearby. They also made a famous fish sauce.

Many groups ruled the city through the years. These included the Byzantines and the Moors. The city grew much larger in the 1700s. It became a main base for the Spanish Navy.

Today, the city is a top place for cruise ships. You can see many old things there. There is a Roman Theatre and many old buildings. The city also has a large naval shipyard. It is a place where many cultures meet.

Cartagena is a busy city in southeast Spain.

It sits within the Region of Murcia along the Mediterranean coast. The city is located in a large area called Campo de Cartagena. This area is a wide plain that tilts slightly from the northwest to the southeast. To the north, you will see several mountain ranges like Carrascoy and El Puerto.

To the south, coastal mountains like La Muela border the land. The city sits right by a natural harbor. This harbor makes it a very important place for ships and sailors.

The city has a very long and layered history. Much of this history began with people living in local caves. Evidence shows that early humans lived in the area 1,300,000 years ago.

Later, a Carthaginian leader named Hasdrubal founded the city around 227 BC. He named it Kart-hadasht, which means "New City."

The Romans conquered the city in 209 BC. They called it Carthago Nova to show it was a new version of Carthage. During this time, the city was a major center for silver mines. They also produced a famous fermented fish sauce called garum.

Many different groups have ruled Cartagena over the centuries. After the Romans, the Byzantine Empire held the city for a while.

Later, the Visigoths and the Moors also controlled the area. During the Islamic period, the city focused mostly on the sea. In 1245, the Crown of Castile took the city by force.

By the 18th century, the city became a leading naval port. It grew quickly from 10,000 people to 50,000 people. It even became the capital for the Spanish Navy's Mediterranean department.

In more recent times, the city has faced many changes. During the 19th century, mining helped the city grow. This led to a time of political unrest called the Cantonal Rebellion in 1873.

During the Spanish Civil War, Cartagena was a main base for the Republican Navy. It was actually the last city in Spain to surrender to the Nationalists. In the 1990s, the city went through a hard job crisis. This happened because of changes in how local industries worked. Despite these hard times, the city remains a very important place for the Spanish military today.

Today, Cartagena is a place where many cultures meet. You can see this in the many different types of buildings.

There are ancient Roman ruins and beautiful Art Nouveau buildings from the early 1900s. The city is also a popular stop for large cruise ships.

It remains a vital home for the Spanish Navy. A large naval shipyard and a military base are still located there. The city's mix of old history and sea life makes it very unique.

Cartagena is a major city located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. It sits within the Region of Murcia in Spain. The city is positioned along the Mediterranean coastline. It occupies a natural harbor that has made it a vital maritime center for centuries. The wider metropolitan area is known as Campo de Cartagena. As of 2024, the city has a population of 219,235 people. The larger Campo de Cartagena area holds 409,586 inhabitants.

The geography of the region is defined by a large plain. This plain is called Campo de Cartagena. It tilts slightly from the northwest toward the southeast. The area is bordered by several mountain ranges. To the north and northwest, you find the Carrascoy and El Puerto ranges. To the south and southwest, coastal mountains like La Muela and Pelayo border the land.

The ground is made of metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. This includes materials like slate, marble, and limestone. The most common soil type is calcic xerosol. Other soils include leptosol along the Mediterranean coast.

Human activity in this area dates back millions of years. Evidence shows that members of the genus Homo lived in local caves 1,300,000 years ago.

Later, Neanderthals of the Mousterian culture inhabited the Cave of los Aviones. The municipality also contains many paleontological sites. These include the Abrigo de Los Déntoles cove and the Cueva de Los Mejillones. During the Neolithic period, people lived in hamlets like the one found at Cerro del Gorguel. However, a lack of rainfall and water courses limited human presence during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

The formal history of the city began with the Carthaginians. A military leader named Hasdrubal founded the city around 227 BC. He named it Kart-hadasht, which means "New City."

The Roman general Scipio Africanus conquered the site in 209 BC. He renamed it Carthago Nova to distinguish it from the original Carthage. Under Roman rule, the city became very wealthy. It possessed major silver mines that produced 25,000 drachmae in daily revenue. The city also produced garum, which is a fermented fish sauce.

Many different empires controlled Cartagena over the centuries. After the fall of Roman sovereignty, the Vandals and Visigoths occupied the city. The Byzantine Empire also held it and made it the capital of the province of Spania.

Later, the Islamic period saw the city called Qartayannat-al-Halfa. It was ruled by various groups, including the Umayyads and the Almohads. In 1245, the Crown of Castile took the city by force. This occurred after the city refused the terms of the Treaty of Alcaraz. Following this conquest, the city underwent a period of intense Castilianization.

In the 18th century, Cartagena became a leading naval port. It served as the capital for the Spanish Navy's Mediterranean department. The population grew rapidly from 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants during this era. The city was heavily fortified with a modern castle and a large arsenal. In the 19th century, the development of mining changed the city again. This industrial growth led to political shifts. In 1873, the city started the Cantonal Rebellion. During the Spanish Civil War, Cartagena served as the headquarters for the Spanish Republican Navy. It was the last city in Spain to fall to the Nationalists.

Today, Cartagena is a unique mix of history and industry. It is a major destination for Mediterranean cruise ships. The city features a diverse architectural heritage. This includes Roman ruins and early 20th-century Art Nouveau buildings.

It also remains a critical military site. The city hosts an important base for the Spanish Navy. It also contains a large naval shipyard.

Despite facing a job crisis in the early 1990s due to industrial restructuring, the city remains a vital part of the Region of Murcia.