General Information On Old Panama
January 27th, 2012The Republic of Panama can be found in Central America between Columbia and Costa Rica. The capital is located near the center of the country where the Panama Canal opens on the pacific side. This city has a highly advanced communications network and the internet is spread widely over it. The capital, called Panama City is a central point of banking and commerce for the whole world and is known as a Gamma World City.
The view is panoramic, with a dense skyline of skyscrapers. The entire city is surrounded by a beautiful rain forest as well, which adds to the scenery. But outside the city core, there is a well known landmark that is a must to visit. Just 15 minutes away from downtown is Panama La Viejo, the ruins of the original city.
The original city was founded by Pedro Arias de Avila, a Spanish conquistador, in the early 1500′s. This was the first European city ever to be built in the Americas. It was established several years after Balboa discovered the ocean once called the South Sea. The founding of the city launched a major exploration of the land which inevitably brought about the destruction of the Incan Empire.
The small village quickly grew as it became a part of a major trade route. Gold and silver from Peru passed through here on it’s way to Spain. The city continued to prosper and led to the fairs of Nombre de Dios and Portebelo and became known as one the most important trade routes in the Americas.
Disasters befell the capital, however. A number of fires devastated it, though not enough to destroy it all. The last great disaster came at the hands of Sir Henry Morgan and his men in 1671. The pirates assaulted the city and nearly destroyed it. It was decided to leave the ruins behind and reestablish Panama roughly eight miles away. It later became a historical landmark in 1971 and has been a tourist attraction ever since.
Not every building was lost in the raid. Many small homes and stores are still relatively intact, and anyone who visits here can get an excellent view of Panama Bay. The Royal Houses is one of these unique structures that survived. This was the home of power in the city and had a prison, an office of the treasurer, and a custom. Also, the San Juan de Dios Hospital and the Bishop’s House can be found among the ruins.
The Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion Cathedral also remained relatively unharmed. The cross shaped cathedral was completed in 1626. A very large bell tower can be accessed at the back of the building. Given it’s size, it likely was used as a watchtower for the Royal Houses as well as a bell tower.
Since it became a tourist attraction, work is being done to try to restore some of the buildings. A visitor’s center has also been built, which features a museum, a small market, and a restaurant. The museum and Panama Viejo are open daily with a low admission price.
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