Cartagena is a Spanish Mediterranean city and naval station in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula in the autonomous community of Region of Murcia. Cartagena has been the capital of the Spanish Navy's Maritime Department of the Mediterranean since the arrival of the Spanish Bourbons in the eighteenth century. As far back as the sixteenth century it was one of the most important naval ports in Spain, together with Ferrol in the North.

It is a walled town and has a fine harbour defended by forts. In the time of Philip II of Spain, it was a major naval seaport of Spain. It is still an important naval seaport, the main military haven of Spain, and there is a big naval shipyard.

Geography and climate

History

Cartagena was founded about 227 BC by the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal as Qart Hadast, Punic for "new city". Hasdrubal extended the newly acquired Carthaginian empire in Iberia by skillful diplomacy, and consolidated it by the foundation of Qart Hadast in an excellent haven as the capital of a new province. Hannibal got silver from the mines there to carry on the war against Rome.

When it was taken by the Roman general Scipio Africanus Major in 209 BC it was renamed as Carthago Nova, Latin for "New Carthage" (which is somewhat humorous, as "Carthago" is a Latinization of "Qart Hadast," thus unknowingly the Romans named the city "New New City"). At the time Carthago Nova was said to be one of the richest cities in the world. The city gave its name (without the 'new') to the newest province in the Hispaniae diocese, in the form of an adjective: Carthaginiensis.

In 1873, the garrison arose against the First Spanish Republic and formed the Cartagena Canton. Since they had the best part of the Spanish Navy, they cruised the Spanish Mediterranean trying to bring them to Cantonalism. The Federalist Spanish government declared them a pirate fleet, encouraging foreign countries to chase and sink them.

Museums

Next to the Arsenal (Menéndez Pelayo), there is a Naval Museum. On the opposite side of the harbour to the city is the National Museum for Underwater Archeology, containing a reconstructed Roman galley and exhibits from shipwrecks.

Architecture

Cartagena has many archaeologic sites. Ruins identified as a temple to Melqart have been uncovered. Throughout the old centre, there are museums with remains of Roman buildings.

See also

• Photos of Cartagena
• Official Tourism Site of Murcia, Spain (click on English at the bottom)
• Cartagena City Hall
• Navantia Spanish Shipbuilding Industry
• Spanish Navy

• Viva Murcia Information and Photographs for Cartagena
• Isaac Peral Cartagena inventor whose submarine is mounted on the waterfront