Casco Viejo, Panama

Casco Viejo
Historic District of Panama City
Casco Viejo Street
Casco Viejo
Coordinates: 8°57′09″N 79°32′06″W / 8.95250°N 79.53500°WCoordinates: 8°57′09″N 79°32′06″W / 8.95250°N 79.53500°W
Country	Panama
Province	Panamá
District	Panamá
City	Panama City
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá
Type	Cultural
Criteria	II, IV, VI
Designated	1997 (21st session)
Reference no.	790
Extension	2003
State Party	Panama
Region	Latin America and the Caribbean

Casco Viejo (Spanish for Old Quarter), also known as Casco Antiguo or San Felipe, is the historic district of Panama City. Completed and settled in 1673, it was built following the near-total destruction of the original Panamá city, Panamá Viejo in 1671, when the latter was attacked by pirates. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 1997.^[1]

History

Panama city was founded on August 15, 1519 and it lasted one hundred and fifty-two years. In January 1671, the Governor Juan Perez de Guzman had it set on fire, before the attack and looting by the pirate Henry Morgan. In 1672, Antonio Fernández de Córdoba initiated the construction of a new city, which was then founded on January 21, 1673. This city was built on a peninsula completely isolated by the sea and a defensive system of walls.^[2] Today this place preserves the first institutions and buildings of the modern city of Panama. It is known as Casco Viejo (Spanish for Old Town).

Main sights

• La Catedral Metropolitana is the main Catholic temple in Panama city.
• El Palacio de las Garzas, is the governmental office and residence of the President of Panama.
• Church and Convent of Saint Francis of Assisi.
• Church of San José
• Church of La Merced
• Church and Convent of Santo Domingo: The Flat Arch
• Church and convent of the Society of Jesus.
• Palacio Municipal, which dates from the beginning of the 20th century.
• Palacio Nacional
• National Theatre of Panama
• Panama Canal Museum
• Palacio Bolívar
• Góngora House
• Plaza Bolívar
• Plaza Herrera
• Plaza de Francia
• Plaza de la Independencia

Gallery

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  Panama Canal Museum.

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  Plaza de la Independencia.

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  San Francisco Church

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  National Theater

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  Society of Jesus

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  Convent of Santo Domingo

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  Arch Chato

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  San José Church

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  Typical houses

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  Palacio Nacional

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  Palacio de las Garzas

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  House Góngora

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  Metropolitan Cathedral

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  Map of Panama and its suburb in 1789.

References

1. "Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá". whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
2. Castillero, Alfredo (2004). UNESCO Guides: Panamá la Vieja and Casco Viejo. UNESCO Publishing. ISBN 92-3-103923-7.

External links

• Official website (Spanish)