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Discovering Cartagena

More Articles By Phillip Bruce www.raxomnium.com

Mighty lords ruled the roost

One family name, Fajardo, keeps cropping up in any study of the history of Cartagena and the area surrounding it. For decades the port and city of Cartagena belonged to a member of the Fajardo family and over several centuries their lands and rule covered much of the area of the present-day region of Murcia.

The Fajardo lords were closely associated with the centralizing impetus of the crowns of Castile and Aragon that, a long time later, led to the establishment of the nation of Spain. Today, areas such as Catalonia, the Basque country and Galicia are doing all they can to head in the opposite direction.

The distinctive armorial bearings of the Fajardo family can be seen on many of Murcia’s historic buildings. A key element is three nettles which gives ample warning to anyone who was thinking of taking on the family. The most impressive evidence of the power and grandeur of the Fajardos can be seen in the Chapel of Los Vélez at the cathedral in Murcia City.

This is a magnificent, soaring, explosion of stone and decoration and it is one of the most important buildings to be erected at the end of the medieval era. The chapel is a national monument. The family chapel was begun in about 1490 and finished in 1507. Every square inch is decorated and once the chapel would have been alive with the colour of rich paints. There are intricate thistle leaves, flowers, wreaths and shields, all carved in stone. Ten fans leap out from the walls to meet in a star-shaped ceiling centerpiece adorned with three rings, each of ten circles. The chapel is referred to as a Late Gothic work but others see evidence of the start of the Renaissance in architectural and decorative elements. The altar was brought from Genoa in the 17^th century and altar pieces came from Naples.

Outside, however, is the most mystifying aspect of the chapel. A huge stone chain encircles the walls, obviously carved continuously. Quite how this was done is not known. Local urban legend tells that the master mason who created the chain had his hands cut off on the orders of the Fajardos so that he could never make another one. In fact, the chapel extends outside the main body of the cathedral, into the public space around the church. There was much anger at this, apparently, not that the great Fajardo lords cared. More urban legend tells that the family was considered so wicked by some that it was not allowed to build its chapel in the main part of the cathedral. Certainly, one Fajardo lord was in constant conflict with the church authorities in northern Andalucia over his refusal to spend money on building churches when he needed it for soldiers and weapons.

The direct Fajardo line died out at the end of the 17^th century due to the lack of a male heir. Today, the last vestige of the lineage is carried by one of Spain’s grandest aristocratic families, Medina-Sidona. In a chapel at the cathedral can be seen a tomb built in 1810 for a son of a Duke of Medina-Sidona, who was a grandson of a Marquis de Los Vélez, the family’s noble title.

The Fajardo family is said to have originated in Galicia and to have arrived in the Kingdom of Murcia during the Aragonese invasion of 1296-1304. There is no real evidence to support this tradition, however. But by the early part of the 14^th century a Pedro López Fajardo was governor of the Murcia towns of Ceutí and Pliego. The family’s power grew amidst dynastic and political intrigues and, in 1383, according to one source, and 1387 according to another, Alonso Yáñez Fajardo was appointed Governor General of the Kingdom of Murcia. Over the next couple of centuries the Fajardos were to retain their position as the most powerful family in a large area of southern Spain.

There was no such thing as a nation of Spain during this period with the country being made up of various kingdoms and other fiefdoms, of which Castile and Aragon were the most powerful.

The Fajardos fought in civil wars and succeeded in backing the winning sides, with consequent benefits to them. The kingdoms of Castile and Aragon were allied, but not joined, with the marriage in 1469 of the future Isabella I of Castile and her cousin who was later to become Ferdinand II of Aragon. Isabel ascended to the Castilian throne in 1474 and Ferdinand to the throne of Aragon five years later.

War broke out with the rebellion, headed by Diego López Pacheco, over the Marquisate of Villena, near Alicante. The Murcian soldiers fought very well under Pedro Fajardo, the current Governor General of the Kingdom of Murcia. He was appointed commander in chief of the royal troops. In April 1477, in recognition of his services, he was given the port and fortress of Cartagena which became a significant generator of Fajardo wealth for several decades. Pedro Fajardo was given the city and fortress of Cartagena. This was a reward for his faithful service to the crown in suppressing the rebellion.

This was an important economic prize and added very considerably to the Fajardo wealth. In 1503 the Crown decided to take back Cartagena. As compensation, the current Fajardo chief, Pedro Fajardo y Chacón was given the castle and surrounding lands of Los Vélez to add to the family estates. Perhaps more importantly he was given the noble title of Señor, or Lord, of Los Vélez.

A recent enquiry at the Cartagena tourism office produces the information that there are no physical remains of the time when the Fajardos ruled Cartagena. But there are plenty of things to be seen elsewhere in the surrounding region, such as the castle at Mazarrón, others castles in the north of Murcia and, of course, the magnificent chapel in Murcia cathedral.

However anyone wanting to see some of the greatest European works of works of art from the late medieval period, commissioned by a Fajardo, must head not to the castle at Vélez Blanco and inland from Cartagena, but for New York and Paris.

That, as they say, is another story. See the story Palace Treasures travel to New York and Paris.

The castle is open from 10am to 2pm, Wednesday to Saturdays. It is closed on Monday, Tuesday, Sunday and public holidays. Sometimes the castle may be closed for a short time during the morning. Just come back a little later. The Vélez Blanco tourism office is located at 19, Calle Carrera del Carmen, telephone 950 415 354. The website for the area can be found at www.losvelezturismo.org. A large natural park covering 22,500 hectares of mountains and countryside, the Parque Natural Sierra María-Los Vélez surrounds Vélez Blanco. There are numerous hotels and rural guest houses. There is a campsite and tourism complex at Pinar del Rey, telephone 950 415 354.

Vélez Blanco is about an hour and a half’s drive south of Cartagena. Join up with the main North-South motorway that runs through Murcia, the A7-E15. Head south to Puerto Lumbreras, then turn right onto the A92 towards Granada. Leave the motorway at Vélez Rubio, drive through the town and follow the signs up to Vélez Blanco. When you arrive you will see a turn off to the right just past a garage on the left. This will lead you into the little town. If you carry on and take the next turning on the right you will arrive directly at the castle.

If you don’t mind a short walk and hate parking in crowded streets then park at the castle and walk down into the town.

See also article: Palace treasures travel to New York and Paris

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Palace treasures travel to New York and Paris

High above a long glacial valley running south from Lorca is the mountain stronghold of the Fajardos at Vélez Blanco.

This area was long the border between the Christian kingdoms of Spain and the Islamic lands of Granada. The Fajardo family ruled the area in what has been described as a kingdom within a kingdom and their economic and political power was immense. Their shrewd support of the interests of the “Catholic Kings”, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon brought rich rewards. In 1503, Pedro Fajardo y Chacón was created Marquis, or Lord, of Los Vélez as compensation for his giving up the city and port of Cartagena and for his faithful service to the monarchs. He also acquired the castle at Vélez Blanco.

The Fajardo family was already immensely rich with extensive holdings throughout what is now Murcia and Almería. They became a lot richer with the growth of Mediterranean and European trade in the first part of the 16^th century. The reason for their increased wealth lay largely in the possession of the alum mines at Mazarrón, near Cartagena.

Aluminum potassium sulfate was of great commercial importance from ancient times and it was used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. One important application was as a binder or mordant – an agent that fixes dyes to fabrics. It was also used to mesh together the weave of textiles into a mass or felt. Alum has many other uses and the exports from the mines of Mazarrón saw a heavy involvement of merchants from the powerful trading city of Genoa, in what is now Italy. The Genoese were specialists in alum trading, and at one time possessed a colony at Phocaea in the Crimea where it held an alum monopoly. They had a strong commercial presence in Spain.

Alum deposits were discovered in the hills around Mazarrón in the second half of the 15^th century. This was a fortunate event for the textile industry of Europe in view of constant price rises in Crimean alum. At that time, all the mines and mineral wealth of Spain belonged to the Crown. The mines at Mazarrón were initially allocated by the king to the Marquis of Villena but half was ceded in 1462 to the Governor General of Murcia, Pedro Fajardo, a predecessor of Pedro Fajardo y Chacón. By 1486, the Genoese were heavily involved in marketing the Mazarrón alum and, with their interests elsewhere, this gave them an effective monopoly of the resource. The Mazarrón alum caused such a fall in prices, however, that a papal ruling was eventually issued limiting its production. When Flanders rebelled a new market was sought in England but the sale of the Spanish alum was eventually forbidden there as the countries were at war and the industry started to collapse. Peace with England raised hopes but the alum trade never really recovered.

Alum exports from Mazarrón were at their height the cash rolled into the coffers of the lords of Vélez.

The first Marquis of Los Vélez, Pedro Fajardo y Chacón, had been given the castle at Vélez Blanco as part of the compensation for the Crown taking back the port and city of Cartagena, which the family had been awarded for its aid in putting down a rebellion.

The castle was founded in Muslim times and it is sited in a virtually impregnable position, on the sheer rock of the mountain that rises sharply from the head of the long broad valley leading down to the fortress town of Lorca. To the north the dramatic peaks of La Sierra del Gigante soar into the clouds. Further down the valley, towards Lorca, two more castles, now in ruins, once protected the approaches up to Vélez Blanco.

The castle itself served two roles, one as a military base and the other as an opulent demonstration of power, prestige, influence and the culture of its owners and endorsing the royal authority that they represented. Construction of the new castle on the ruins of the old Islamic fortress was begun by Pedro Fajardo y Chacón in 1506 and it was completed in 1515. The castle was, in fact, an elegant palace as well as an impressive fortification.

The Marquis was a man of culture and he wished to display his love for art and decoration or, perhaps just as important, messages of power and legitimacy. In the entrance halls he placed a series of 10 pinewood carved bas-reliefs. These panels, which are 0.7 metres high and six metres long, were displayed in the castle’s Hall of Triumph and Hall of Mythology, which were encountered before passing through to the main Patio of Honour.

The symbolism was very obvious. In the Hall of Triumph, Caesar’s celebration of his victory in the Gallic War with ceremonial entry into Rome was shown in six friezes. The parallels that were to be drawn between Caesar and Fajardo were clear. Each had brought victory and prosperity to areas that had been ravaged by war and conflict. Fajardo’s Gaul was the Muslim Andalucia to the south, from which the last of the Muslims had been finally overcome with the triumphal entrance of Ferdinand and Isabella into Granada in 1492.

The design of the triumphal panels is thought to have been inspired by the designs of Andrea Mantega for the family chapel of the Italian Gonzaga dynasty of Mantua in Lombardy. This was built between 1484 and 1494. A collection of engravings by Jacob of Strasburg may have been another influence.

The other panels were to be seen in the Hall of Mythology and they were inspired by the 12 Labours of Hercules. He was the most illustrious of heroes of Greek and Roman mythology and it was in his temples that soldiers and gladiators hung up their arms when they retired. Having been sent temporarily mad by the god Juno, he killed his wife and children and Apollo ordered him to carry out 12 labours or tasks in penance. It is these that are recorded in the panels of the castle of Vélez Blanco. Just in case anyone should have missed the point, the Fajardo family shield appears in the midst of scenes of Hercules battling monsters. The struggle of the Fajardos to bring order to their lands equaled those of the great hero himself.

Should anyone wish to see these panels they will have to travel to Paris and the Museo De Artes Decorativas, at the Louvre, where they are displayed today. The panels were sold in 1903 and were rediscovered in the collection of the museum in 1992. They have been described as magnificent expressions of early Spanish Renaissance sculpture that were designed to show the connections of high Castilian nobility to the traditions of classical antiquity. The mythology was continued in the great achievements and fame of the Marquis of Vélez and his family.

The Louvre explains: “In the early 15^th century Tuscany saw a revival of interest in antiquity, initiated by architects, sculptors and painters. This revival marked a decisive break with the conventions of international Gothic art, and first emerged in Florence at the very beginning of the 15^th century. The Renaissance was thus originally an Italian movement, manifested in the field of the decorative arts in workshops making tapestries, ceramics and bronzes.

“Objects in new and inventive forms, re-creating the splendours of antiquity were commissioned by illustrious princes, collectors and patrons of art. Throughout the sixteenth century, Italian stylistic innovations spread across the rest of Europe, in France, Germany and Flanders. Italian Mannerism then conquered the whole of Europe, evolving differently in each artistic centre. These gradually threw off the Italian influence and began to produce more autonomous works. All the princes of Europe commissioned tapestries, glazed pottery, bronzes and painted enamels to embellish their castles and palaces.

“Although the Renaissance is known above all for its paintings, the decorative arts proved to be among its most sumptuous manifestations.”

At Vélez Blanco, on passing through the two halls, the visitor would enter the jewel of the castle, the Patio of Honour. Today this is an empty open space but once it was decorated with what the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York describes as: “One of the most important architectural ensembles of the early Spanish Renaissance.”

The arcaded patio was installed by Pedro Fajardo y Chacón who spared no expense in purchasing the white marble elements and decorations. The museum says the patio melds: “…indigenous Gothic and Hispano-Moresque structural precedents contributed by its Spanish architect (such as segmental arches and flat timber ceilings with exposed beams) – to the architectural canons and ornamental motifs of the Italian Renaissance. The graceful carvings that embellish many window and door frames of the 2,750 square foot, two storey galleried structure – fantastic tiered candelabra and animal grotesques, foliate scrolls, birds, vases and monsters – are believed to be the work of itinerant Lombardo-Venetian sculptors who brought their up-to-date carving skills and pattern books from northern Italy to the small mountain village on the southeastern coast of Spain.”

Today only a few fragments remain at Vélez Blanco. Some of the architrave can still be seen however, although this was recovered only relatively recently from a nearby church. A few other pieces of the patio have been returned to the castle by local people.

Anyone wishing to see the patio in all its glory must visit New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

At a time when many countries are attempting to recover art works which they claim are integral parts of their heritage from museums of the West it is worth making clear that both the Paris and New York museums acquired their Vélez treasures completely legally. There is no suggestion that they should be returned to their original home. In fact, it may be that had they not been removed from the castle they may have been broken up and destroyed. Until relatively recently, the castle was a complete ruin.

The friezes were bought in 1903 by a Parisian dealer Emile Pierre from the Medina-Sidona family. Eventually they must have ended up in the collection of the Paris museum where, as stated, they were only re-discovered in 1992. The patio was sold for 80,000 pesetas by the noble family in 1904 to a French dealer named Goldberg. He subsequently sold it to the American millionaire George Blumenthal who installed it in his magnificent home in New York. On his death it was bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum. However, the museum had to wait years until the home was demolished before it could gain access to dismantle the patio.

If you don’t mind a short walk and hate parking in crowded streets then park at the castle and walk down into the town.

See also article: Mighty lords ruled the roost

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Sea fortress on a rock

The shield or armorial bearings of the city of Cartagena feature a castle on a rock surrounded by the sea. The shield can be seen with or without a crown.

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Quiet cove at Porteus

One of the most beautiful little beaches in the Cartagena area can be found in the little cove of Porteus.

Porteus is found by heading along the coastal road (not the N332) that runs through Canteras towards Puerto de Mazarrón. The turning to Galifa and Porteus is on the left a little beyond Canteras.

The dramatic hills that protect Cartagena are cut by a gap and Porteus is on the water in that gap. For most of the year the beach is quiet with only a few people visiting for a quiet moment or two next to the sea. The high cliffs soar all around.

The cove is, in fact, divided into two. To the right the road runs down to one part of the beach where there are a few houses and, in the summer, plenty of swimmers and sunbathers. To the left, the road leads to one of Europe’s largest nudist resorts. If you take that road, but turn right down the dried up river bed, instead of going up the hill towards the naked flesh, you will come to a gap in the rock which leads onto the other beach. There is plenty of parking on the river bed.

The geology of the cliffs at Porteus is fascinating and there are lots of glittering and colourful pebbles to collect at the water’s edge. However, in summer, jellyfish can be a problem and as this is not an official bathing area there are no nets to protect swimmers or first aid posts. Be careful. There are no cafes, bars or facilities at Porteus. Above the row of houses there is a little fishermen’s chapel with a lookout. Remember, that if you want to fish yourself you must have a licence. The Guardia Civil inspect this area regularly and are known to have confiscated all the kit of people fishing without a licence. Fines can also be imposed. A large old building, now boarded up, was once an Army facility. This coastal area was formerly strictly off-limits to the public.

On the horizon to the right the ridge of Cabo Tiñosa can be seen. This is where several of the forts that protected the port and city of Cartagena were situated and where two giant 38cm Vickers guns still glower out from the cliff top.

Oil and gas tankers can sometimes be seen on the horizon, waiting to enter the busy industrial port of Escombreras, on the other side of Cartagena. Don’t worry, though, as the water is wonderfully clear with rock pools, fish and coral to inspect. Not surprisingly, this is a favourite area for divers.

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New home for naval museum

Cartagena has a great naval museum but it is in an old building that is outdated and far too small to display the huge collection properly.

Now, an extensive renovation project is taking place down at the waterfront that will see the museum properly housed in a building that played a key part in Spanish naval history.

The builders are hard at work both inside and outside the Cuartal de Instrucción, or training barracks, building which was a key part of the naval dockyard, or Arsenal, built under Royal orders during the 18^th century. The galleys of the Spanish navy were based next to this building and the last galley was launched here in the early 19^th century. The building has been in a poor state for many years but all that is now changing. There is talk of a project to build a full-size galley for display in the plaza outside the new museum.

A large artwork on the side of the building shows an impressive image of the restored building, together with a brand-new building. No doubt there will be plenty of space for the full collection to be displayed.

If you would like to visit the existing Naval Museum, you can find it at the end of the Calle Real, which is a long avenue with tall palm trees in the middle and the wall of the naval dockyard at one side.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 1.30pm, and is closed on Mondays. Admission is free. Telephone 968 127 138.

Take a free bicycle and explore

One of the best ways to get around Cartagena is by bicycle. The streets of the town are nearly all flat so pedaling around is easy.

The Bicity service offers free bicycles that allow locals and visitors to use a free bicycle for exploring. The bikes are found at various points around the town – there is one right next to the tourism information booth on the waterfront, beneath the city walls. Users can take a bike for periods of up to three hours and can then return it at any of the points.

One key element if the scheme is to reduce traffic and to reduce carbon emissions and environmental impact. The scheme is sponsored by two agencies involved in energy conservation and by the town hall.

To use a bike, naturally, users have to provide their details on a form. But, once they have registered, they can use a bike every day in the future if they wish so the form only has to be filled in once. Anyone over 18 can use a bike, with people over 14 but not yet 18 needing to be accompanied by an adult.

Registration can be done on-line. Go to the Bicity website at www.cartagena.es/bicity. There doesn’t appear to be any English, but, never mind. Click on the “Pre-Alta” button. Part one of the form asks for personal details, part two asks for an address. Parts three and four relate to people under 14 and requires the entry of details of an accompanying adult.

If you want to know how many bikes are available and at which points, then click on the “Disponibilidad” button.

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Statue of Cartagena’s poet

In Calle Carmen, one of Cartagena’s most popular pedestrianised streets for shopping, a bronze statue of a woman sits on a bench. This is Carmen Conde, one of the city’s most famous writers. She was born in 1907 and is highly respected. The statue was unveiled in May, 2007, and it is by sculptor Juan José Quirós Illán. There is a Carmen Conde museum, which can be found at the Centro Ramon Alonso Luzzy, and this contains work by the poet and author as well as items from her study.

Carmen Conde wrote a great many works, but a search of Amazaon failed to turn up any of them in English translation. So, if you want to appreciate her talent you will have to learn Spanish.

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Soldier and Sailor statues

At the entrance to the city of Cartagena, from the waterfront, near the old town hall, are two statues that are very popular with visitors. Sitting on a bench is a rather dejected looking man – apparently a soldier reporting for duty in the garrison. A little further on, next to the walls, is a statue of a happier sailor with his bag slung over his shoulder.

Historically, Cartagena has always been a very important port for the Spanish navy and military and countless generations of sailors and soldiers have passed through the city.

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Roman street discovered

Work on buildings and access for Cartagena’s Polytechnic University uncovered a 60 metre stretch of an ancient Roman street.

A part of the street has been left uncovered and it can be seen off the Calle Duque, running up the hill opposite the Plaza Merced square. The Calle Duque, which becomes Quatro Santos as it goes further into the city, was once the route of the main Roman east-west road, known as the Decumano Maximo.

The newly-discovered street was probably an access to the waterfront and to the amphitheatre where the gladiators fought which was later used as Cartagena’s bull-ring and is now abandoned. The street probably dates back to the first century A.D. and it is surfaced with large limestone blocks. On each side there was a pavement for pedestrians, although at some time a house was built which obstructed this. Private family houses fronted onto the street.

A large drain ran underground down the centre of the street and this was connected by pipes to the individual houses.

At the entrance to one of the houses archaeologists say that the outline of two feet can be seen, facing into the house. This was known as the “Planta Pedum, and it was a symbol of purification and protection for the house.

The remains of what was probably a shrine can be seen in the street, possibly to the gods that protected roads in Roman Times. This was a square building and parts of the steps and entrance can be seen. There were four pillars, with áticas bases and Tuscan capitals, which were found during the excavation.

It is thought that the street as abandoned at the end of the Second Century.

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