Cuadernos de Historia Económica - The history of La Matuna in Cartagena de Indias, 1890 - 2022

Number: 
64
Published: 
Authors:
Andrés Felipe Parra-Solanoe
Classification JEL: 
N96, R11, R14
Keywords: 
Cartagena de Indias, La Matuna, Historic Center.

Abstract

La Matuna is an area located in the heart of the historic center of Cartagena de Indias, between El Centro, San Diego and Getsemaní, which makes it an area of special interest for the city. Despite its location and some constructions that occurred at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, urbanization is relatively recent as it formally began in 1952. This document describes the urban development of La Matuna between 1890 and 2022, explaining the changes that occurred and the main factors that influenced its evolution. The results show that the urban development of La Matuna seems to be associated with two fundamental aspects of the city: (i) economic and social changes; and (ii) the evolution in urban planning. On the one hand, economic booms and busts determined the demand for urban land throughout the analyzed period. In addition, the urban planning plans also affected the urbanization dynamics of the sector due to the stimuli established in the urban standards defined during the years of study for the different sectors of the city.