Discovering Cartagena

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A Mine Owner’s Palace 

Cartagena’s 19^th and early 20^th century mine owners, like their counterparts all over the world, cared little about the workers who slaved in the dangerous darkness deep underground creating their wealth.

They lavished their money on fine buildings to impress their friends, many of which still survive today. 

One of these, the Casa Zapata, can be seen at the Plaza De España.  This is a very impressive stone home in an Austrian or Germanic style. In fact, it reminds me of the Governor’s Hunting Lodge in the former German colony in China, Tsingtao.   

The owner was known as “Tio Lobo”, or Uncle Wolf and he as the big man of the mines of La Union.  The interior is decorated in a completely different style, taking its inspiration from Arabic sources. 

Today the building is used by a school and it is not open to the public. 

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