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Many ancient Spanish cities have maintained their old quarters.
Panama City is no exception.
The city, founded on August 15, 1519, lasted one hundred and fifty two years, until Governor Juan Perez de Guzman ordered it to be set to fire in 1671 in an attempt to thwart an attack by pirate Henry Morgan. A year later, construction began on the new city, then founded on January 21, 1673. Built on a peninsula, it was entirely segregated from the sea and protected by a system of walls.
Once, one of the richest and most densely populated neighborhoods, Casco Viejo experienced years of neglect around the 1950s. Today, the city has preserved this area and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. One of the city’s top attractions, it draws thousands of visitors who come to experience Panama’s culture and history.
As we were dropped off at the Plaza de la Independencia, where the country’s independence from Spain and Columbia was celebrated, I glanced around at the fine architectural details present on most of the buildings. The Casco Viejo (Spanish for Old Town) is filled with peaceful, shady plazas, wrought iron balconies, aged, brightly colored doorways and a myriad of churches.
After inspecting the dignified busts of Panama’s founding fathers, scattered throughout the square, we glanced around, not sure how to tackle the many narrow streets and plazas beckoning to my touristic nature. Heading toward the waterfront, we occasionally stopped to peruse the many souvenir shops filled with masks, pareos, outdated Panama license plates and of course, Panama hats.
The waterfront promenade offered some amazing views of the city’s impressive skyline as well as of the Cinta Costera, the viaduct that encircles the historic and governmental district of Casco Viejo, a controversial project which was built to solve the traffic nightmares without disturbing the historic neighborhood.
Grabbing a snow-cone from one of the local vendors, we sat on a park bench and savored the balmy temperatures while enjoying our chilly treat.
While my main desire was to visit La Catedral Metropolitana, the main, Catholic temple in Panama City, we found it to be under a massive renovation. The San Francisco de Asis Church was only a couple of blocks away and we decided to step in. One of the original structures from Casco Viejo, the church was nearly destroyed by fire in 1737 and 1756. Restored in 1998, it was more modern than I anticipated but presented vibrant stained glass, marble throughout and a beautiful, mosaic behind the altar.
Though we were not allowed to venture too close, we walked near the Palace of the Herons, the stately home and offices of the President of Panama. Built in 1673, the grounds are home to African herons, thus earning its name.
Another main tourist attraction in Casco Viejo is the Panama Canal Museum. Since we had just come from the Miraflores Visitor Center, we opted to take a pass on this one.
Continuing on the cobblestone streets, we admired the local artwork and graffiti that adorned many walls. Though many buildings have been restored, there are many still under construction and some in various stages of decay. Still, I enjoyed seeing the remnants of days gone by, knowing that so much history resides in these crumbling facades. Amidst the beautifully colored buildings, these chasms in the perfection of the city, add mystery and wonder.
Two more churches were also encountered in Casco Viejo. Even with a considerable Catholic population, it is incredible that so many churches exist in such a small area. One of the three churches we visited was the Capilla de San José, an unassuming church built in the 1670s. We enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and admired its famed lustrous golden altar, carved of wood and painted in gold flake. Another church, Iglesia de Merced, is one of the city’s oldest structures (1680) and most noted for its baroque facade. Containing a beautiful wooden altar and a large collection of religious statues, it’s most impressive feature its its original, exposed wooden ceiling. So ancient does this ceiling appear, that it made me slightly uneasy standing below.
Many restaurants and bars grace the streets in the Old Town and finding a tasty place to eat is not hard to do. In fact, nighttime, is a festive affair and should not be missed when visiting the city, even if not staying in one of the area’s many hotels and hostels.
Finally, we made our way back to Plaza de la Independencia. Taking a seat on one of the many shady, seating areas, we rested our weary feet, admiring the scenes around us. Besides the other camera touting tourists, the square attracts a large number of locals who come to interact with each other and children who use the tranquil area to play.
As our afternoon came to an end, it was also pleasant to find that free WIFI was offered in this area and we were able to contact Uber for a ride home.
Though staying in Casco Viejo would have been nice, we opted for a hotel in the downtown area. A little more affordable than the Old Town area, we found it to be surrounded by many restaurants and shopping and safe for walking at night. Only a five dollar cab away, we were happy with our accommodations, however, if you want to be in the “happening” part of town, check out one of the many hotels and hostels in the area.
And if like us, you opt for downtown, make sure to visit the beautiful and historic part of Panama City. Enjoying a part of Panama’s past is a fundamental part of a visit to The Isthmus!
Casco Viejo
- http://www.patronatopanamaviejo.org/ppv2014/es/
- Hours: Hours vary for museums, churches, restaurants and bars. Check each for individual hours.
- Admission: free
- Getting There: From downtown areas, about $5 cab or Uber ride.
We noticed that our cruise itinerary included a stop in San Juan. Speaking with my travel representative, I was told at the time of booking that while Puerto Rico was still recovering, they were anticipating being able to accept tourists and cruise ships by the time of our arrival.
Although a few buildings were still boarded up, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the most of the Spanish colonial buildings in Old Town appeared to be in good shape and open for business, their colorful architecture standing strong with Puerto Rican flags proudly flying in the morning breeze.
