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The Church of San Pedro Claver (Iglesia de San Pedro Claver) is the most picturesque church in the UNESCO World Heritage listed walled city of Cartagena.
History of the Church of San Pedro Claver
The Church of San Pedro Claver was built between 1580 and 1654 as the Church of San Juan de Dios. It’s administered by the Jesuits and was part of a complex of religious buildings. The Jesuits were expelled from Cartagena in 1767 and the complex was turned over to the Order of the Holy Ghost.
In 1861, the church was nationalized and deconsecrated for use as a stable by the Colombian Army. The Order of the Holy Ghost was allowed to return in 1882. In 1896, they turned over the complex to the Jesuits once again.
By the early 20th century, the dome of the church was dilapidated. It was replaced by a large Florentine-style dome in 1921 by French architect Gaston Lelarge (1861-1934). Today, the dome and bell towers are one of the symbols of the city and it’s shown in many postcards.
Sanctuary of San Pedro Claver Museum
To really get an understanding of how important the church is to Cartagena, I visited the Sanctuary of San Pedro Claver Museum (Museo Santuario de San Pedro Claver), which is situated in the cloister of the church. Admission for foreign adults is COP$28,000 (as of March 2024), and gives exclusive access to the church when it’s closed. The museum is open daily except Mondays from 10am to 4:30pm.
Pedro Claver (1580-1654) was a Spanish Jesuit priest from a small town near Barcelona. His missionary work with slaves continues to be an example of love and human rights to this day. He lived and died in the cloister of the church, and was canonized on January 15, 1888, by Pope Leo XIII.
Ground Floor of the Museum
The first part of the museum I visited was the patio, with beautiful green shrubs, trees, and palms. At the rear is a cistern. The cistern is a great place admire the multiple levels of the cloister.
There are a few galleries on the ground floor. One of them is an archaeological museum displaying indigenous artifacts found throughout Colombia and the region.
Another is a gallery of portraits of all the bishops of Cartagena. A chair used by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Cartagena on July 6, 1986, sits in one corner of the room.
The third gallery contains religious art, including statues and paintings, dating between the 16th and 20th centuries. There are also portraits of Pedro Claver. It’s located in the former refectory of the cloister.
Finally, the Chapel of Christ is located at the southeast corner of the building.
Second Floor of the Museum
On the second floor, you’ll find Pedro Claver’s living quarters. The rooms are decorated with period furniture. The quarters are connected to the slave’s dormitory, which contains several paintings depicting the priest helping slaves as well as replicas of artifacts made by slaves. Finally, in the next room is the infirmary where Pedro Claver died.
Third Floor of the Museum
The third floor contains a gallery of paintings depicting the life of San Pedro Claver as well as a gallery of Afro-Caribbean art. From there, it’s possible to enter the upper gallery of the church.
Visiting the Church of San Pedro Claver
From the upper gallery, visitors have access to a balcony and the choir, where it’s possible to get two different perspectives of the church. The choir houses a 19th century organ as well as an impressive stained glass window.
Back down on the ground floor of the church, I was able to stand under the dome and also get close to the beautiful main altar.
The altar was built by Italian craftsman Vittorio de Montarsolo in 1884. It stands 4.22 meters tall, with four columns that weigh 2,000 kilograms each. The body of the saint lies at the bottom of the altar.
My Thoughts on the San Pedro Claver Museum
I really learned a lot about the life of San Pedro Claver in the museum, and it was a great experience getting up close to the altar, which is an incredible work of art in itself. It was also nice to be able to see the church from up in the choir, although I couldn’t get a complete look because a group of people were setting up for an event down below.
