must-visit in Cartagena de IndiasMuseum

Palace of the Inquisition

📍 Plaza de Bolívar, Cartagena, Colombia

1 photos

4.6/ 5.0

★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location: Colombia, Cartagena de Indias
Category: Museum
Duration: 1–2 hours
Opening Hours: Monday 09:00-18:00 · Tuesday 09:00-18:00 · Wednesday 09:00-18:00 · Thursday 09:00-18:00 · Friday 09:00-18:00 · Saturday 09:00-18:00 · Sunday 10:00-16:00 · Mon–Sat 9:00–18:00; Sun 10:00–16:00
Ticket Price: Adult: Free · Adult ~COP 25,000; children & seniors COP 20,000; under 5 free. Free for all on the last Sunday monthly.
Address: Plaza de Bolívar, Cartagena, Colombia
Coordinates: 10.4233, -75.5516

Introduction

The Palace of the Inquisition stands on the east side of Plaza de Bolivar in Cartagena's old town, completed around 1770 as the seat of the Spanish Inquisition on the mainland. After the tribunal was abolished in 1821 it served as a university and government offices; today it is the Museo Historico de Cartagena de Indias. The building is late-colonial architecture at its finest: two storeys of intricately carved wooden balconies, a Baroque stone portal with coats of arms, and a serene interior patio. Inside, colonial paintings, maps and navigation instruments share space with chilling instruments of torture, alongside exhibits on Caribbean trade, pirates and the city's defences. Outside, the pigeons and coffee aroma of the plaza bring you gently back to the present.

✨ Highlights

The Baroque Portal

A carved stone doorway with coats of arms; among the old town's most photogenic.

Carved Wooden Balconies

Two storeys of intricate woodwork, peak of late-colonial craft.

Inquisition Instruments

Real torture devices from the tribunal — history, heavy and real.

Caribbean Seafaring

Maps, charts and the city's pirate-defence story.

Colonial Art & Archives

Independence-era artefacts and the city's layered history.

The Quiet Patio

A colonnaded central courtyard, a cool retreat from the Caribbean sun.

🛈 Practical Info

→Duration：1–2 hours with the courtyard and torture exhibits.

→Best Time：A cool, air-conditioned midday escape from the heat.

→Nearby：Chain it with the plaza, cathedral and city walls.

→Transportation：Walkable inside the old town, on Plaza de Bolívar.

Opening Hours

Opening Hours
Monday	09:00-18:00
Tuesday	09:00-18:00
Wednesday	09:00-18:00
Thursday	09:00-18:00
Friday	09:00-18:00
Saturday	09:00-18:00
Sunday	10:00-16:00

Mon–Sat 9:00–18:00; Sun 10:00–16:00

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
Adult	Free

Adult ~COP 25,000; children & seniors COP 20,000; under 5 free. Free for all on the last Sunday monthly.

💡 Tips

• Labels are mostly Spanish; major exhibits have English and audio guides.

• The torture room is intense; use judgement with kids.

• A perfect midday escape from the Caribbean heat.

• The balcony gives great plaza shots, but don't climb it.

• Combine with the old town's smaller museums for a full day.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Palace of the Inquisition?

Monday: 09:00-18:00; Tuesday: 09:00-18:00; Wednesday: 09:00-18:00; Thursday: 09:00-18:00; Friday: 09:00-18:00; Saturday: 09:00-18:00; Sunday: 10:00-16:00; Mon–Sat 9:00–18:00; Sun 10:00–16:00