May 17, 2017
restdays in Cartagena: door knockers
The walled city of Cartagena is a labyrinth of streets with brightly colored houses, balconies and flowering plants. The entrance to the houses are two doors, within the large door is a smaller door through which people pass. By minimizing the size of the entrance, the tropical hot breeze is minimized when the door is opened. For bigger deliveries, the large door is opened.
The other unique feature are the animalistic door knockers or aldabas. In colonial days, the doorknockers size symbolized the family's social status and wealth. The shapes corresponded to the person's profession. The lion signified a teacher or military, the fish or mermaid indicated a merchant or someone who made their living by the sea. A lizard represented royalty.
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