La Villa De Los Santos, also known as La Villa Heroica De Los Santos, is the capital city of the Los Santos District in the Los Santos Province of Panama. Founded as Santa Cruz in 1555 by the then governor-general of the region, Juan Rodriguez Mojaraz, the city is known for its efforts in the movement to separate Panama from Spanish power in 1821. The residents of the city honor the forbearers of their struggle for independence every year by holding wild parties on this day. Apart from the festivals, the city is also famous for housing colonial structures dating back to the days of Spanish domination. The city boasts of a beautiful museum dedicated to the Panamanian freedom struggle and the country’s most beautiful churches.
History
La Villa De Los Santos enjoys a significant place in the history of Panama because around eleven thousand years ago, it was home to the oldest Panamanian civilization. The place, due to its immense contribution to the Panamanian freedom struggle, holds a very special spot in the hearts of the people. It was about five hundred years ago when the Spanish invaders arrived on the scene. On November 10th, 1821, the ‘first cry of Independence’ against Spanish domination took place here. The locals wrote a letter to the people in power, asking them for assistance in dislodging the Spanish invaders. Eighteen days later on November 28th, 1821, the country officially declared its independence from Spain.
Attractions
The city of Los Santos has a number of noteworthy sights. Some of them include:
Iglesia San Atanasio
The Church of San Atanasio was founded in 1569. The church, located in the center of the city, has a baroque altar with a lot of beautifully carved and gilded wood, depicting cherubs, saints, plants, and flowers. The church keeps images and paintings of the colonial era, including the image of the Holy Trinity in the main cave and a canvas of the Last Judgement. The place’s national importance is reflected by the fact that it was declared a National Heritage Site in 1938.
Carlos Ivan de Leon
Taller Carlos Ivan De Leon is a master mask maker, making the most detailed and frightening masks in Panama. This is the best place to visit for those looking for specialized devil masks for the famous ‘Dance of the Dirty Devils’ in the city. Masks are prepared for everyone from professional dancers to international collectors.
Museo de la Nacionalidad
The National Museum of Villa de Los Santos, inaugurated in 1974, is the place where Panama’s declaration of independence was signed in 1821. The museum, though dominated by artifacts and crafts related to the city’s struggle for independence, also includes Pre-Columbian ceramics and art from the Colonial era. The outbuilding of the museum houses a lovely garden and a restored traditional kitchen. Over the years, this beautiful brick and tile structure has also served as a jail, a school, and a government office.
Festivals and Events
It is the yearly festivities and event celebrations that attract most of the tourists to this capital city. Many festivals and events are celebrated in the city throughout the year. The most famous occasions include:
El Grito de la Villa
El Grito de la Villa or the ‘Cry of the Village’ day is celebrated on November 10th every year. The day marks the historic first cry of independence that took place in the village against Spanish domination in the year 1821. This patriotic occasion is overseen by the President of Panama, and highlighted by a parade followed by enthralling music and dance performances. A significant amount of drinking on the streets of the city.
Feria Internacional de Azuero
The festival, called the ‘Azuero International Fair’ in English, is an agriculture-based fair organized in late April every year. Here, exhibitors are given an opportunity to present and disseminate products and services focused on agriculture, industries, and cultural sectors, promoting the Azuero region. The five-day event also features folkloric dancing and competition among local singers singing regional songs.
Fiesta de Corpus Christi
It is Los Santos’ biggest festival, celebrated for four days. It is celebrated forty days after Easter in May or June. It is a catholic festival dating from the 1200s, which celebrates the ‘Eucharist’, the part about the body and blood of Christ. It is celebrated all over the world on a changing date that falls between the end of May and early June.
Places to Stay and Eat
The city gets packed to the brim during its many festivals, but there are many options available in Chitre, around 4 km north of Los Santos, so no need to press the panic button. Just relax and check out some of the best options to stay there.
La Saloma Hostal
La Saloma Guesthouse is a charming hostel offering the traditional atmosphere of La Villa de Los Santos. The hostel is located perfectly, with all the important cultural destinations near it, enabling its visitors to enjoy the important cultural events taking place in the community with immense ease. The colorful guesthouse includes a dozen rooms with five of them being in a building from the 1870s and the rest in a newer addition in the back courtyard.
Hotel la Villa
This thirty-four room luxurious hotel boasts of a large garden along with a swimming pool, providing visitors some respite from the dry and dusty Azuero summer. The resort-like structure houses rooms of various shapes and sizes, featuring a folkloric theme and incorporating artifacts from the Los Santos festivals. It also has an attached bar and a restaurant serving traditional Panamanian cuisines.
Sol de Luna
It is an eco-friendly and customer-friendly hotel with a bright yellow structure, making good with twenty-two deluxe motel-style rooms. It offers a beautiful swimming pool for guests; the water is recycled and used for plants. Its large solar panels are the main source of electricity. An on-site restaurant serves delicious juices, burgers, and seafood.
Hotel Restaurante Kevin
This newly renovated luxury hotel is located near the Carretera Nacional. The hotel offers twenty nearly identical coral-colored rooms in another L-shaped building behind the main building. The rooms offer private hot-water bathrooms and satellite TV for a few dollars extra. The owner’s swimming pool located behind the hotel is accessible to guests.
The larger hotels in La Villa de Los Santos all have on-site restaurants and there are also several cheap restaurants in and around the main square to cater to the hunger of locals as well as that of tourists.
Conclusion
The above discussion was all about the city of La Villa de Los Santos and what all it has to offer to tourists. We can now conclude that the city holds immense significance in the history of Panama and the beautiful attractions on offer will assure that visitors have a remarkable experience.
What’s Nearby?
