When I arrived in Panama City in the year 2010, I wanted to explore every attraction the city had to offer in one afternoon! To my surprise, it wasn’t at all possible because the country, albeit small, has so much to enjoy and experience! And the history is so interesting! It is like learning a script for the new release of the Pirates of the Caribbean!
If you plan to visit Casco Viejo in Panama, I would recommend taking at least three days to see everything the Old Town it has to offer. There is a lot of history to explore, amazing foods and drinks to savour and nightlife second to none!
Save a Pin to your Pinterest Travel Panama board:
Casco Viejo History
After the city was burned to the ground in the old location of Panama Viejo on January 21, 1673, the inhabitants of the city of Panama created a new site in the place known as El Ancon. After having gone through one of the most lamentable and bloody chapters of this era, it definitely marked the future of the first city founded by the Spanish crown in the Pacific Ocean.
Just less than two years before, on January 28, 1671, the pirate Henry Morgan, together with a gang of 1,400 men attacked and plunder the city of Panama, where they met with resistance despite the fact that the site and its inhabitants did not count on the conditions to stop the filibusters in their desire for riches.
The objective of the corsair was not fully completed because the Captain General of the mainland, Juan Perez Guzman, gave the order to explode the gunpowder deposits in the city, which caused a gigantic fire that almost completely destroyed the old settlement.
Despite the efforts they undertook to defend themselves, the pirates persecuted and ransacked the inhabitants of the old city. The inhabitants fled with their belongings and valuables in tow. This was easier to do as they were mostly professionals and merchants without military training.
The intruders occupied the city for about a month, after which they left Panama in ruins and fled with 195 mules loaded with riches. They also took prisoners (kidnapped, captures slaves) with them.
Before departing, the pirates left behind a place of desolation, hunger, and disease which lasted for years. Many people lost their lives as a result of these horrific conditions and the morale of the surviving population was completely destroyed.
After this event in November of 1671, Antonio Fernández de Córdoba and Mendoza, President Governor and Captain General of the Kingdom of Tierra Firme, arrived at the Isthmus with the intent of finding a new site for the city. His mission was to create a home with better living conditions for its inhabitants as well as a place that could be defended from the attack in a more efficient way. And all of this to be completed before the possibility of new attacks, as perpetrated by Morgan.
After multiple observations, he recommended that the city be moved to the point known as “Sitio El Ancón” – a small peninsula, easy to fortify with healthy and firm ground. The only drawbacks being that fresh water was far away and that the small port was too shallow.
Casco Viejo
The new Panama was founded on January 21, 1673, in the place we know today as the Casco Antiguo or Casco Viejo. This time, a much better city plan was drawn up, in accordance with the guidelines dictated by the Spanish Crown, regarding the construction of Spanish cities in the new territory. Military planning prevailed and the main square was built. Churches, convents government buildings, and elite houses were erected and a great wall was reinforced, until the end of the colonial period.
Panama continued its boom and recovered from the losses suffered at the first site, thanks to its privileged geographic position and the commercial policies implemented by the Spanish Crown. However, with the decline of the Spanish empire, the fate of Panama hung in the balance.
After that, it went through the process of seeking independence from Spain and a union with Colombia. This did little to contribute to either the improvement of living conditions or the development of the city. That is, until the end of the separatist feat which was forged for years and culminated on November 3, 1903. This is when Panama finally became a free and sovereign nation.
Little by little, Panama regained its strength. Initially driven by the gold rush in the United States, the isthmus was once again used as a transit point for the passage of people and goods from one coast to the other. This was considered the least expensive and safest route to make.
The construction of the transisthmian railway (and later of the Panama Canal) solidified the role of the country as a transit site between the Pacific and the Atlantic. The city of Panama, in turn, became the center of facilities and services necessary to achieve this transfer.
The city was surrounded by thick walls and consisted of around three hundred houses with wealthy citizens of that time. The focal point of the new city was Plaza Major, with the Catedral Metropolitana. In the eighteen century, the city suffered three large fires that changed its original configuration.
Fortifications of the Panama City
On January 28, 1671, the pirate Henry Morgan, together with a gang of 1,400 men, attacked and sacked the city of Panama, at that time located in what is now known as Old Panama. After these fateful events, reconstructing it (or relocating it in a more protected natural area) was considered. The intent was to have a city with greater possibilities of defense and with better characteristics to be a port city.
Don Antonio Fernández de Córdoba and Mendoza, Sergeant Major of the Battle of the Spanish Crown, left Cádiz with the mission of designating a new site where to settle the city of Panama. His intent was to ensure it had the character of a fortress-market. Four months later, after multiple observations, he informed the King that the city should be moved to the slopes of Cerro Ancón, where a small peninsula that extends to the East is located. With the Royal approval, the new city of Panama was founded on January 21, 1673.
The space of the new city would be circumscribed within a wall to surround it and protect it. It would be armed with bronze artillery and posts would be placed every two or three hundred feet. It would also be provided with solid bastions, aimed at facilitating its defense. Three of its sides (North, South and East) overlooked the sea and the fourth (West) faced the land. The coasts on the south and east sides were shallow and rocky and on the north was a small, well-sheltered bay that allowed access to the ships. For the foundation of this new city of Panama, the concepts of military architecture triumphed over civil architecture.
The choice of site for the new city seemed unbeatable. The works of fortification began in 1675, surrounding the city with a baluster wall ten feet thick and twenty to forty feet high! Later, somewhere between 1760 and 1770, several extension interventions were carried out and configured as it is currently viewed today.
The entire land front of the wall, practically nonexistent at present, was a faithful replica of the most advanced criteria of the baluster fortification system. It consisted of a ravelin, a triangular fortification located in front of the inner works of a fortress. In this zone, three great bastions stood out: the La Mano de Tigrein at the center and the San José and the Barlovento in the South and North ends of this section respectively. These last two were of an irregular cut while the La Mano de Tigre was regular, with equal and proportioned sides. It had the classic diamond-tipped shape, characteristic of that perfect and impregnable time.
Between this bastion and that of Barlovento was the Puerta de Tierra, terrestrial access to the walled enclosure. On its front to the sea, which is currently preserved almost in its entirety although not in very good condition in certain parts, the wall is adjusted to the coastline. It was irregularly cut and succeeded the following bastions, starting of Barlovento: Puerta del Mar (maritime access to the walled enclosure), San Francisco, Santo Domingo, Punta de Chiriqui, Carnicería and San José.
When the international war landscape changed, the Pacific ceased to be a reliable ocean. The defensive criteria of the city was altered and it was necessary to reinforce the Punta de Chiriquí Conforma, now known as Las Bóvedas.
In the intramural city, an orthogonal reticular urban layout was imposed, following the classical model of the Spanish-American colonial city. The axes of this grid were oriented towards the four cardinal points, with the Plaza Mayor at its center. The maritime access was through the Puerta del Marlocated, on the north side of the walls, and the land access by the Puerta de Tierra, on the west side. The blocks ranged between sixty and eighty meters in length. Only the main streets had cobbled paving.
Outside the walls on the land side, the ravelin spread, which preceded the fortress by covering it and defending it. Close to it arose the suburb of the city, which settled the population that, for various reasons, had no place intramural.
Outside the walls on the land side, the ravelin spread, which preceded the fortress by covering it and defending it. Close to it, the suburb of the city arose which settled the population that, for various reasons, had no place intramurally.
These military and defense utility structures remained in force until 1856, when the needs of the city changed and the authorities estimated that it was time to tear down part of the wall. In this case, the land front was demolished to make use of the surrounding area, including the esplanade.
Casco Viejo Attractions
When you are in Panama City you must visit Casco Viejo. This Old Quarter is separated from Panama City’s downtown area, not only by distance but also by way of life. It is mostly tourists from early morning to late at night. There are some government offices but the rest of the area is occupied by residences, small shops, restaurants and night clubs. In some areas, you can meet street vendors selling handmade crafts.
The old town has four main squares. These include the Plaza de la Independencia, the first and only square for several centuries. Plaza Bolívar and Plaza Herrera were built on vacant lots left over from the fires that ravaged the city. Plaza de Francia was built in 1922 to honor the French people, pioneers in the construction of the Panama Canal. Here are some landmarks found in Casco Viejo:
Casco Viejo Landmarks
Plaza Mayor / Plaza de la Independencia / Plaza de la Catedral
The Plaza Mayor or Plaza Catedral was originally designed as a square with a surface area of 187 feet x 187 feet (57m x 57m). In the 19th century, the plaza was lengthened because one of the blocks on the north side was retracted.
This was the place chosen by the leaders of that time to gather the population and announce, on November 28, 1821, the independence of Panama from Spain. Then in 1903, it was used to inform residents that the isthmus separated from Colombia and became the Independent Republic.
At the time of the colony, it was an empty place where the dust prevailed in the dry season and the mud ruled the rainy season. Because it represented the authority of the King, it could only be used in great solemnities or by express order of the crown.
The site was used for horse games, parties, bullfights and other events, then adorned with multicolored flags, roofed platforms, balconies, and wooden fences. If the occasion demanded, a corral was created on one side of the current municipal palace.
It was not until the arrival of the French when the area underwent its first momentous changes. At the end of the 1870s, shade trees were planted and in 1880 it had interior streets with cast iron benches. An iron fence with six triumphal arches (one in each entrance) was built, creating an environment that became the main site of social meetings and courtship of the old city.
Around the Plaza Mayor (currently the Plaza de la Independencia) are the notable landmarks such as Metropolitan Cathedral of Panama, the Municipal Palace, the Interoceanic Canal Museum and the Gran Hotel Central. The Metropolitan Cathedral is an example of Spanish colonial architecture and was built between 1688 and 1796. The buildings of the Canal Museum and the Municipal Palace, the latter of notable neoclassical influence, dating back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century respectively.
Plaza Bolívar
It owes its name to the liberator Simón Bolívar, who chose Panama as the place for his Anfictiónico Congress of 1826, with which he sought to unify Hispanic America. This square arises as a result of a tragic event that was not contemplated in the initial planning of the new site. However, in 1756, a large fire broke out. Fifty homes were burnt to the ground in this sector. This left a large vacant space which was not rebuilt.
Then, in 1883, the Municipal Council of the time officially established this place as the Plaza Bolivar. In 1926, the authorities began construction in this square which was modified over the years to reach its current appearance. On the site, a great monument was erected in honor of Simón Bolívar and the ideals for which he fought. As a result, Panama became a strategic point for development and was perfect for regional integration.
Around this square is the church of San Francisco, the Bolivar Palace, the Hotel Colombia, the San Felipe de Neri church, and the Casas Heurtematte and the National Theater.
Plaza Herrera
Plaza Herrera is built on the vacant lot that was left after the fire of 1781, which destroyed the entire block. Originally it was known as Plaza del Triunfo and was used for bullfights. It was not until 1887 that it received its current name in honor of General Tomás Herrera. Around this square are the Boyacáhouse, the La Reformada, which was (during its time) the tallest building in the country and the Hotel Panamericano.
Plaza de Francia
The Plaza de Francia or Las Bóvedas date back to 1922 and were created in the
bastion Chiriqui in remembrance of the truncated attempt of the French to build the Panama Canal. This square is semicircular with neo-Renaissance influences. In the center, there is an obelisk crowned with a rooster, which symbolizes the French people. Surrounding this obelisk are the busts of the pioneer engineers of the canal and arcades under which there are ten plaques that tell the story of the Panama Canal.
La Plaza de Santa Ana
It emerges from the plot of land in front of the church of the same name in the suburban area Barrio del Arrabal. The suburb was given the name of Santa Ana from the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century, despite being a suburban neighborhood with scattered housing. From very early on, the church opened its main doors to a large open-air stage. This space was always considered public and it carried out the activities typical of the festivities of the colony (including equestrian exercises and bullfights). This took place from the time Panama was considered part of Colombia on November 28, the date of the independence of Spain.
The Plaza de Santa Ana came to replace the Plaza de la Catedral, changing its character and functions in the second half of the 19th century. In the year 1890, the Plaza Santa Ana is transformed and adapted to the new models and functions of the current squares with park characteristics, following the example of Plaza Catedral.
In it, there are wooden benches, gardens, trees, mosaic pavement, ornamental vases and other furnishings of French and American influence. Having abandoned its bullfighting days and accepting its new character, Plaza de Santa Ana fulfills its role as a place of meeting and recreation in modern times.
El Paseo Esteban Huertas
Built on one of the best preserved stretches of the wall that was erected to protect Panama City from pirates and corsairs, stands the Paseo Esteban Huertas, named after the Colombian general who in 1903 was part of and supported the revolution that culminated in the separation of Panama from Colombia.
It is a pedestrian path that starts at the side of the old Union Club and ends at the Plaza de Francia. It is a place of singular beauty, with its arcades and Trinitarian bougainvillea tunnel or veraneras, where hundreds of visitors walk daily to observe the beauties of Panama.
Under the section of the wall where the walk is, there are some rooms known as Las Bóvedas, used in the beginning as a prison. From there, you can see the islands of what is known in Panama as the Amador Coastway, as well as the progress made in the modern part of the city, where impressive buildings continue to be built.
Catedral Metropolitana Santa María La Antigua
The main church of the Casco Antiguo whose construction, according to some documents, was erratic and prolonged. In 1674, a temporary wooden church was built. Then, in 1676, the first plan was developed for a masonry church, probably inspired by the Cathedral of Lima, which surpassed that of the Plaza Mayor.
In 1688 the first stone was laid and two years later the foundation of the work began. It was completed in 1796. In its final form, the Cathedral is spacious, modern and considered to be one of the largest churches in Central America.
After its construction, it was restored in 2004, due to the great deterioration that took place. At present, another intervention is currently under consideration. This would involve the restoration of other structural areas in current need of repair.
Iglesia de San José
One of the first to be built in the Casco Antiguo, various factors such as fires and subsequent structural reforms significantly changed its original design. The church of San José was built between 1671 and 1677. It is located on Avenida A and 8th Street and is famous for its baroque altar carved in mahogany and covered in gold leaf. This altar is surrounded by a legend that tells how it was saved from the pirates by the monks, who covered it with black, despite its eighteenth-century information.
The church of the Augustinian Recollects was originally a traditional structure with pillars and a wooden roof. However, it was damaged by the fire of 1737, which forced its reconstruction. Then, in the 1830s, the Augustinian convent was suppressed and the church remained closed until the last years of the nineteenth century. At the beginning of the twentieth century, it was completely renovated to give it a better appearance and to update it with the architectural trends of the time.
Inside is the Altar de Oro, one of the most requested elements by national and foreign visitors who want to admire its beauty and learn about its history.
Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís
The original church was built in the seventeenth century. But the fires of 1737 and 1756 ruined the work that, in colonial times, was considered to be one of the most significant in the city.
Later, with the expulsion of the Franciscan friars, the church was abandoned next to the convent. In 1918, under the administration of the order of the Jesuits, who had possession of the property, work began that completely changed the look and style of the church. This was done in order to adapt it to the current architectural trends, giving it the contemporary appearance that is appreciated today.
These works included the application of several architectural styles that are reflected in the current structure, among which include Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance and neo-romantic.
Iglesia de San Felipe de Neri
The church San Felipe de Neri dates from 1688, as indicated by the inscription with the shield of the church that is on the front of it. In 1737, a fire destroyed the Cathedral and this church provided the cathedral services. In 1756, another fire occurred and this time, the church suffered considerable damage. After being restored, it became the Cathedral’s tabernacle. A service was provided during the eighteenth and part of the nineteenth century until it was ceded to the community of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, who established two boarding schools there (one of the pensioners and another of orphans) as well as a children’s asylum.
La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de La Merced
Its construction dates back to 1680 and is the only church in the old town that maintains its original construct style in Old Panama. It is located on 10th Street East, next to the House of the Municipality (Casa de la Municipalidad), next to the Puerta de Tierra that gave access to the walled city. This church housed most of the birth and baptismal records.
Considered to be a clear example of the baroque style in Panama, the Church of Our Lady of Mercy was completed in 1673, the same year as the transfer of the city of Panama.
For its construction, the materials rescued from the first church built in Panama Viejo were used, in view of the fact that the members of the Order of Mercedarios decided to sacrifice themselves and donate the new materials they had for the construction of this church. Thus cooperating with the construction of the city wall before the possibility of new attacks by pirates.
In La Merced, technical restoration studies are carried out, since they preserve important architectural elements. An example of these architectural values are the roof, its beams, and columns. La Merced is the only church in the Old Town that maintained the original roof.
Compañía de Jesús
It was run by the order of the Jesuits and was comprised of the church and the convent. Its architectural composition highlighted numerous niches in the shape of a snail, which in turn represented the marine wealth of Panama.
The original convent was destroyed in the fire of 1737, after which, in 1741, the South wing was built. The most significant part was made to house the school that later became the first university in the Republic of Panama. Royal and Pontifical University of San Javier “which was founded in 1749, thanks to the help received from the Bishop of Panama Francisco Javier de la Luna Victoria y Castro.
The enclosure worked until the year 1767 when the order was expelled from all Spanish lands.
In 1781, the church was once again damaged by a fire that ruined its exterior, after which the earthquake of 1882 further aggravated its condition.
In its internal structure, its unique nave plan, the main chapel and the classical style façade stand out. In the nineteenth century, the site was divided for different uses, taking advantage of some the remains of the old construction.
In 1979, this property was acquired by the State and from 1982, all of the elements added during the years of private use were removed. This marked the beginning of the efforts to recover the originality of the monumental set.
Convento de Santo Domingo
The Convent of Santo Domingo was built in 1678. It was one of the first to be found in the new city. Like the rest of the Old Town, its history began after the destruction of Panama following the attack of the pirate Henry Morgan. After this event is when the Dominican friars built, in the new location of the city, a church with a Latin cross plan and cloister with a single wing for the monks’ cell. It was ravaged by two fires in the seventeenth century, which toppled the tower and interiors.
The walls and arches were maintained, especially the flat arch built to support the wooden choir of the church. The church was stood out with its unique nave, which differed from the traditional colonial scheme. It was destroyed by the fires in the eighteenth century, edifying itself later as a newer, smaller church.
In the nineteenth century, after the independence of Spain and the extinction of the monks of the Isthmus, the building passed into private hands. The site of the church, like its cloister, housed different businesses such as a bakery, carpentry workshop, public restrooms, etc.
This monument had great relevance in the twentieth century because, for the first time since the construction of the canal, its flat arch served as an example of the seismic stability enjoyed by the Isthmus. At present, the ruins of the facade and the internal arcs are observed and a chapel, totally restored, serves as a religious museum, Museum of the Colonial Religious Art.
El Arco Chato
Inside the first structure was the flat arch, a structural element that supported the choir of the church and that, despite the inclemency of the weather, remained firm until 2003 when it collapsed.
History illustrated that this arch was decisive for the Americans to finish the Panama Canal after the failure of the French attempt.
It is a complex, large and heavy structure that maintained itself since the colonial era without falling, despite not having iron reinforcements. This showed the stability of the Panamanian soil and gave it an advantage over Nicaragua. The country competed for the work but, due to its large number of unstable volcanoes, could have endangered the investment.
The Arco Chato, built in the mid-eighteenth century as part of the church of Santo Domingo, was completely rebuilt in its original site three years after its structure succumbed to the passing time. On the floor of the ancient temple you can see fragments of the original arch.
The courtyard of the Convent of Santo Domingo represents a historically accurate experience. The restorers of this site took great care in recreating every detail in the most approximate way possible to show everything that existed on the site.
To this end, the central courtyard was restored. It is estimated that the Spaniards installed (once again) the figures that adorned this interior plaza, for which 9,941 cow bones were used and carefully selected and cleaned by the workers who participated in the project.
El Arco Chato
The National Theater and the Government Palace occupy the former site of the nuns of La Concepción in a three-story building. The National Theater is located diagonally to the Plaza Bolívar, 3 Cathedral Street and Ave B, while the Government Palace overlooks the Central Avenue. The architect responsible for its construction was the Italian Genaro Ruggiero between the time of 1905 and 1908.
Palacio de las Garzas
The original building was built in 1673 by the Oidor of the Royal Court, Don Luis de Losada Quiñones. Later, the building was expropriated and became the Customs or Community Workshop, due to complaints from the Cabildo that considered it be too opulent.
In 1740, the headquarters of the Accounting Office was installed there until the small fire of 1756 left the building in ruins, just after it was rebuilt. During the nineteenth century, it had various functions. It acted as a school between 1872 and 1875.
The year 1885 marked its definitive use when it became the House of Government. Its status was elevated and is now known the Presidential Palace, which has been maintained until the present time.
Initially, it was a building with few external decorations. The image of the present is the product of an intervention made in the 1920s by orders of the then President of the Republic Belisario Porras. He considered it necessary to make it more colorful so that it would be compliment the house of a head of state.
The Palacio de las Garzas owes its name to the Herons (Spanish: garzas) that have inhabited it since its remodeling. In the interior, a pictorial cycle of the painter Roberto Lewis stands out, which is in the upper part of the dining room or Salón Los Tamarindos.
Palacio Bolívar
The Bolivar Palace, next to the church of San Francisco houses the hall where the Amphictyonic Congress was held in 1824. This building is currently the Chancellery of the Republic. The original building was the convent of San Francisco, dating from 1673. A fire in the eighteenth century devastated it and the convent and the church were rebuilt in the year 1771.
After the Franciscan friars left the convent in 1821, the building was used as a military barracks to house the Isthmian Pavilion. In the nineteenth century, it served as the seat of the College of the Piarist Brothers.
In the twentieth century, this academic tradition continued welcoming the Colegio de La Salle, Colegio San Agustín and finally the Instituto Bolívar until 1999. In 2000 restoration work began to host the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama and the Bolivar Museum.
Palacio de Justicia
This building was constructed in 1931 with the purpose of housing the Supreme Court of Justice and the Legislative Assembly. This building was built on part of the original construction of the Chiriqui Barracks. Adjacent to it is the Anita Villalaz Theater, which is located next to the monumental complex of Las Bóvedas. It is currently occupied by the National Institute of Culture.
Palacio Municipal
The existing building of the Municipal Palace dates back to 1910 and responds to neoclassical canons. The architect in charge of this building was the Italian Genaro Ruggieri, who also built the National Theater of Panama.
Casa de la Municipalidad
The House of the Municipality or Mansión Arias-Feraud, built in the first third of the 20th century is located in the boundaries of the walled city. Inside you can still see remains of the Old Puerta de Tierrathat which secured the passage to Panama City.
Casa de los Monogramas
La Casa de los Monogramas owes its name to monograms from the 18 century that are conserved in the door of the hall of this building. This fact is very significant because it evokes the appearance of the largest colonial houses. It was built somewhere near 1743 and currently is housing government offices.
Its architecture presents some of the best-known features of the intramural housing of the colonial era. The building’s structure is mainly constructed of lime and wood. The roof is made of clay tiles and the balconies are made of wood. The ornamentation of its façade is circumscribed to the entrance door, which presents a frame of pilasters topped with pinnacles and a bent cornice.
Casa de los Monogramas
La Casa de los Monogramas owes its name to monograms from the 18 century that are conserved in the door of the hall of this building. This fact is very significant because it evokes the appearance of the largest colonial houses. It was built somewhere near 1743 and currently is housing government offices.
Its architecture presents some of the best-known features of the intramural housing of the colonial era. The building’s structure is mainly constructed of lime and wood. The roof is made of clay tiles and the balconies are made of wood. The ornamentation of its façade is circumscribed to the entrance door, which presents a frame of pilasters topped with pinnacles and a bent cornice.
Casa Góngora
The Góngora House is one of the oldest in Panama that preserves its original architecture, which is considered to be a degree of value 1, a maximum degree within the patrimonial hierarchy. It was built in 1756 by Captain Pablo Góngora de Cáceres, hence its name.
Casa de San Francisco
The Casa de San Francisco is of special importance due to the fact that it was inhabited Don José Agustín Arango. Don Jose was one of the leaders of the movement that achieved the separation of Panama from Colombia and its consolidation as a free and sovereign nation. This structure is a group of seven houses that give the appearance of being a single monumental building.
Casa de San Francisco was designed and built by the builder and owner of the Grand Hotel, George Loew. Mr. Loew using his innovative building methods built a large group of rental houses aimed at providing services to the well-off.
Casa Boyacá
Casa Boyacá is located between Avenida A, Calle 11 Oeste and Pedro Díaz, in front of what was the bastion Mano de Tigre in the San Felipe neighborhood. This old wooden house dates back to the late nineteenth century. At first glance, you will notice it is particularly striking with its ship bow design and is also one of the oldest wooden houses in the Casco Antiguo.
Its name is related to a warship of the Colombian government, famous at the time. The house of Caribbean tradition has not undergone any modification since its original construction around 1880. Unfortunately, the building was consumed on February 21, 2018, by a voracious fire.
Condominio Paseo las Bóvedas
The Paseo Las Bóvedas condominium consists of three buildings. The most striking being the corner house, which dates approximately back to 1913. The adjoining building on Avenida A, which was built around 1900, is similar in its architecture; the small one on 1st Street, on the other hand, supposedly dates from 1927 and is neo-Renaissance.
All of the buildings have perimeter walls of masonry and bays mostly of the flat lintel. Apart from the others, the house on 1st Street has a roof with a concrete balustrade.
Conservation efforts were put forth which included part of the structure, roof, and exterior walls. The facades with their continuous balconies, floors, corbels and reinforced concrete balusters were preserved.
Among the modifications that were made in the original morphology is the elimination of the original entry and the adaptation on the ground floor to install three commercial premises. Nowadays, to enter the first and second levels you must enter through the inner courtyard that shares the three buildings. This helps to preserve the building as the interior space is used more rationally.
Casa Arillaga Arechua
It owes its name to its oldest owners. When first constructed the building belonged to Joseph de Arrillaga and after which it passed into the hands of Antonio Marcelino de Arechua.
This building has had a complex historical evolution. It was built around 1716, but a fire in 1737 destroyed it. Reconstruction was carried out in the 1740s and all existing elements were used with another level added. In 1756 it was destroyed by fire yet again. By the year 1779 it had been rebuilt again but this time the third level was not reconstructed.
Towards 1900 the house underwent yet another remodeling. A floor was added to it, the arcade was demolished and a portal was built across the entire façade. Later there were other substantial transformations in the façade. The porticoed corridor and balconies were eliminated entirely.
Today you can see the three-level building having seven axes of bays facing Eloy Alfaro Avenue. The details of the ornamentation are neo-Renaissance and the levels are divided by cornices mixtilíneas. Currently, the building houses offices of the Presidency.
La Legación
The building known as the Legation dates back to 1870 and was the home of engineer Jules Dingler. Originally the building was the Compagnie Universelle du Canal Interocéanique and then later the first headquarters of the US embassy in Panama. It is located near Plaza Bolívar in 4th Street and Plaza Catedral on Central Avenue.
Casa Testa / Mansión Calvo / Casa Art Decó
Art Deco is a movement focused mainly on the decorative arts that had its splendor between 1920 and 1939 and whose influences were mainly in Europe and America.
In this particular style, the use of geometric figures and luxurious elements in which the decorative part was clearly above functionality were identified as the main characteristics.
Panama was not alien to the trend that marked part of the twentieth century and although in a limited amount, there are buildings in the Old Town where this architectural style is clearly obvious. This is also true with the property that once belonged to the Duque family and is now a condominium.
This building is one of the most modern sites in the monumental complex where characteristic aspects of the art deco are reflected as well as the geometric figures and the dedication in the aesthetic styling.
It was built at a time when wealthy families of the time were highly interested in building new and flourishing sectors that were located at a distance from the older part of town.
Along Avenue A, some houses worthy of mentioning are the Testa House which was built in colonial style, the Calvo mansion built in neoclassical style, the Art Deco house whose name honors its architectural style and the Obarrio House which is the current headquarters of the Casco Antiguo Office.
Casas Heurtematte
Another set of outstanding houses are the Heurtematte houses built in 1877. These houses are of special interest as this is where the act of independence was drafted in 1903. This set of houses are on Avenue B next to the Plaza Bolívar and the National Theater.
Museo del Canal Interoceanico de Panama
In this building the influence of French architecture in Panama is clearly seen, Ferdinand de Lesseps, the famous engineer builder of the Suez Canal who had tried unsuccessfully to build the Panama Canal.
This property was vacant for a long time after the great fires of the eighteenth century. The building was built in 1875 and is one of the most modern and expensive of this time. The building was occupied as a Grand Hotel until 1881.
From very early on the building had been linked to the Panama Canal. In 1881 it was used to host the headquarters of the Universal Company of the Interoceanic Canal. In 1904 it was acquired by the Isthmian Canal Commission and for a few years, it was the administrative headquarters of the Works Del Canal, until 1910.
In 1910 it was then acquired by the Panamanian government and was then used for multiple government agencies from a Post Office to National Telegraphs agency, The Ministry of Education and others.
Carlos Endara Museum – Museo Carlos Endara
This historical building was owned by the famous photographer Don Carlos Endara (1867 – 1954). He was a painter and photographer of Ecuadorian origin who was based in Panama. He became one of the pioneers of Panamanian photography.
The building was built in 1910 and consisted of five floors, it was used by both Don Carlos and his brother Don Victoriano Endara as a photography studio. This building has the oldest elevator in the Central American Isthmus, which has been successfully rehabilitated and kept in operation.
Today the building serves as the Carlos Endara Museum.
Casa Garay
A former neo-Renaissance building made of lime and stone, wood and tiles, the palace is known as Palazzo di Fiori. The building consists of a basement, ground floor, and two upper floors. Palazzo di Fiori is located on Carreras de Páez (today Avenida “B”) and Rivas (today Calle Décima) and was built at the end of the 19th century.
The historical map of “The City of Panama and its surroundings” (1890) shows the house for the first time. A public deed from 1890 certifies that the owner was Mrs. Mercedes Díaz de Garay wife of the famous painter and artist Epifanio Garay (1849-1877). Occupying the residence were also two children – Don Narciso Garay Díaz (1876-1953: writer, musicologist, and diplomat) and Doña Nicole Garay (1873-1928: poet and educator).
The monumental main helical style staircase was preserved and restored following its original design recovering its original splendor for everyone to enjoy.
Mansion Obarrio
The Mansion Obarrio represents an example of the evolution of the architecture of the monumental complex after the economic boom experienced in the second half of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century.
It owes its name to Nicanor de Obarrio, a famous Panamanian politician who was part of the 1903 Revolutionary Junta. It was formed after the separation of Panama from Colombia, a movement that resulted in the birth of Panama as an independent and sovereign republic.
The history of this property dates back to the late nineteenth century when there was a differnet building than there is today. The original structure was a house made out of wood and lime, which had two owners before the property was purchased by Nicanor De Obarrio in 1903.
After acquiring the property, De Obarrio proceeded to demolish the residence and built a building that is still sitting there today. The original building built by Obarrio did not have a third floor nor the balconies in the front and in the rear, they were added many years later.
In 1940 the Panamanian State acquired the property, which was subsequently used as the seat of several public schools until finally in 1979 the site was assigned to the National Institute of Culture (INAC) with the intention of establishing a museum.
In the 1980s, the site was used to house families affected by the fire. This lasted until 2001 when the actions to begin the restoration process of the building began. The restoration was necessary as the building suffered significant deterioration and was finally in no condition to be occupied.
Las Clementinas
The original building located at the corner of Calle Once and Avenida B was built during the 1930s. The structure features three floors made out of concrete with a concrete roof. It was built by the family of Mrs. Clementina Herrera as rental apartments, which was maintained with this same use all of these years.
American Trade Hall
During the construction of the Railroad and after the Canal was built by the US, the presence of American businesses and banking institutions in the city of Panama was integral. The National City Bank of New York a banking institution grew rapidly becoming the largest commercial bank in the world and after the World War I.
City Bank of New York expanded its operations with new branches in the most populous cities in the world. The bank acquired property in 1927 for the establishment of a bank in Panama City.
The architectural firm Walker & Gillette were chosen by the banking entity to design their new building in the city of New York. The firm had become famous for its buildings which were neoclassic in style. With the arrival of the jazz era, the firm embraced something new: the Art Deco. This architecture became the corporate image of the bank in its various branches abroad and Panama was no exception. The spatial distribution and architectural volume of the building in Panama had the same building guidelines as the one in New York and other cities around the world.
One of the banks most recognized features is the monumental entrance topped by idealized sculptures of eagles that guard the logo of the bank.
Callejon del Chicheme
Located on Calle 4. Callejon del Chicheme was originally constructed as two separate wooden buildings dating back to the nineteenth century. It has since been consolidated into a single structure for use as commercial space on the ground floor and five individual apartments on various levels.
Casa Mallet
This house consists of two floors which are made of lime, wood, and tiles manufactured in the country, located in the Carrera de Caldas (today Avenida “A”). Nicanor A. De Obarrio sold the lot to Matilde Obarrio de Mallet on March 20, 1906.
Casa Retahulehu
Located on Avenida “A”. Built in the late nineteenth century and previously altered in 1930. The single-family (uncommon in this area) unit with large rooms, an indoor garden and bedroom wings facing the sea, covered in large colonial roof tiles.
If you want to learn more about the old city site destroyed during Cpt. Morgan invasion, check out my article about Panama Viejo.
What’s Nearby?
