Miraflores is the name of one of the three
locks
Lock(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lock ...
that form part of the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...
, and the name of the small lake that separates these locks from the
Pedro Miguel Locks
The Panama Canal locks ( es, Esclusas del Canal de Panamá) are a lock system that lifts ships up to the main elevation of the Panama Canal and down again. The original canal had a total of six steps (three up, three down) for a ship's passage. ...
upstream. In the Miraflores locks, vessels are lifted (or lowered) in two stages, allowing them to transit to or from the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
port of
Balboa in
Panama City
Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is locat ...
. Ships cross below the
Bridge of the Americas
The Bridge of the Americas ( es, Puente de las Américas; originally known as the Thatcher Ferry Bridge) is a road bridge in Panama which spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. Designed by Sverdrup & Parcel, it was completed in 1962 at ...
, which connects
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
and
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
.
As of 2005, the following schedule was in effect for ship transit through the locks: From 06:00 to 15:15, ships travel from the Pacific toward the Atlantic. From 15:45 to 23:00, ships travel from the Atlantic toward the Pacific. At any other time, travel is permitted in both directions.
A visitors center allows tourists to have a full view of the Miraflores locks operation. Binoculars are recommended to view the Pedro Miguel locks in the distance. As of 2016, admittance for adults to the visitors center costs US$15 (observation terrace) with lower rates for children and senior citizens. Panamanian residents are admitted at US$3 per person. Viewing a transit operation at the centre can take more than 30 minutes. A souvenir shop on the ground level sells related merchandise. The centre closes at 17:00.
Gallery
File:Miraflores Locks Panama Canal 24h time lapse.webm, The locks in operation
File:Missouri panama canal.jpg, USS ''Missouri'' passing through the Miraflores locks in 1945
File:Miraflores Locks, Panama - 10.jpg, Main building of the Miraflores locks
File:Miraflores Locks - Hanjin Wilmington entering.JPG, The ''Hanjin Wilmington'' in transit through the Miraflores locks toward the Pacific Ocean
External links
Miraflores visitors center
{{Authority control
Panama Canal
Articles containing video clips