Penonomé () is the capital of the

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

nian province of Coclé. The town is located in the geographic center of Panama along the

Inter-American Highway The Inter-American Highway (IAH) is the Central American section of the Pan-American Highway and spans between Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and Panama City, Panama. History The idea of a road being built across all of Central America became a tangibl ...

in the wide, flat lowlands of central Coclé.Friar, William. ''Panama''.

Moon Publications Moon is a travel guidebook publisher founded in 1973 in Chico, California. The company started with travel guides to Asia and later also published guides to the Americas. The company is now based in Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a cit ...

(2008), p. 236–37. .

History

Overview

Penonomé was founded in 1581.Katzman, Patricia. ''Panama''. Hunter Publishing (2006), p. 162. . The name of this town comes from the words "penó Nomé". Nomé was a chief of a local Native American tribe who resisted the Spanish conquistadores and was put to death by colonial officials. "Penó Nomé" means "Nomé was punished."''Panama Now''. Focus Publications (1986), p. 19. . The town was the capital of Panama for a short period after Panama City was sacked by

Henry Morgan Sir Henry Morgan ( cy, Harri Morgan; – 25 August 1688) was a privateer, plantation owner, and, later, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he raided settlements and shipping on the Spanish Main, becoming we ...

in 1671. The town is home to many descendants of Turkish, Chinese, and Arab immigrants. Its population as of 1990 was 12,117; its population as of 2000 was 15,841.

Local legend

Local legend (unknown origin) has it that Nomé was a chieftain in love with an indigenous woman named Zaratí. His tribe didn't want him to marry and so told him that his beloved had drowned. Trying desperately and without success to find her, he threw himself from a bluff, crying out "I'm coming Zara!" Hence the names of the Zaratí River and Penonomé ("Penó Nomé" in Spanish meaning "Nomé mourned", with subject and verb inverted).

Landmarks

The Catedral de Penonomé and the municipal government office (''Casa de Gobierno'') are located on the town's central plaza. The town also has a small museum, El Museo de Penonomé, which is often closed. The town has two main shopping streets, Avenida Juan Demóstenes Arosemena and the Inter-American Highway along the edge of town.

Transport

Penonomé is served by buses to many locations in Panama.

Notable people

* Esther Neira de Calvo (1890-1978) - women's rights activist * Diana Jaén - Miss World Panama 2015

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Penonome Populated places in Coclé Province Corregimientos of Coclé Province Penonomé, Coclé Populated places established in 1581