Casco Viejo (Panama)

Casco Viejo (Spanish for old town ), also known as Casco Antiguo or San Felipe , is the historic district of Panama City . In 1673 a new settlement was built here after the previous city of Panamá Viejo had been almost completely destroyed in 1671 in connection with pirate attacks; the ground plan of the city was practically laid out as a rectangular grid, which was then considered a classic model of a native settlement. The neighborhood was declared a World Heritage Site in 1997.

history

Map of 1789 with suburbs.

The original city of Panama was founded on August 15, 1519 and existed for 152 years. In January 1671, Governor Juan Perez de Guzman had the city set on fire before the pirate Henry Morgan could attack and loot it. In 1672 the new governor Antonio Fernández de Córdoba, a former soldier familiar with fortifications, suggested the construction of a new city, which was then founded on January 21, 1673 about 18 km from the location of the original city on a peninsula completely surrounded by the sea Much emphasis was placed on strong protective walls. Today the oldest facilities and buildings in modern Panama City can be found here; locally the quarter Casco Viejo is called. In the 18th century there was a big fire in the city; the current structures mostly go back to the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Main sights

Catedral Metropolitana, the most important Catholic place of worship in the city.
El Palacio de las Garzas, the official seat and residence of the President of Panama .
Church and convent of Francis of Assisi .
San José Church
La Merced Church
Church and Convent of Santo Domingo
City Palace (early 20th century)
Palacio Nacional
National Theater of Panama
Panama Canal Museum
Palacio Bolívar
Plaza Bolívar
Plaza Herrera
Plaza de Francia
Plaza de la Independencia