Casco Antiguo (Spanish for ''Old Quarter''), also known as Casco Viejo or San Felipe, is the historic district of

Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...

. Completed and settled in 1673, it was built following the near-total destruction of the original Panamá city, Panamá Viejo in 1671, when the later was attacked by pirates. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 1997.

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 Sir Henry Morgan (; – 25 August 1688) was a Welsh privateer, plantation owner, and, later, the lieutenant governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he and those under his command raided settlements and shipping ports o ...

. 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. 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). In the 18th century this part of the city was the victim of three large fires that partially destroyed it and modified its initial structure. The current configuration dates from the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. The recostruction allows the insertion of neoclassical, Afro-Antillean buildings within the ruins and colonial buildings, which differentiates it from other old towns in cities such as Cartagena de Indias and Quito, which have an almost exclusively colonial style. In recent years, Casco Viejo— through gentrification— has become a tourist hotspot filled with restaurants, boutique hotels, museums and nightclubs; while also maintaining the multiple historical sites it has to offer.

Main sights

* La Catedral Metropolitana is the main Catholic church in Panama city. * El Palacio de las Garzas, is the governmental office and residence of the

President of Panama This article lists the heads of state of Panama since the short-lived first independence from the Republic of New Granada in 1840 and the final Separation of Panama from Colombia, separation from Colombia in 1903. Since 1904 the head of state of ...

. *Church and Convent of San Francisco de Asís. *Church of San José *Church of La Merced *Church and Convent of Santo Domingo: Arco Chato *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

File:Museo del Canal.jpg, Panama Canal Museum File:Plazadelaindependenciapanama.JPG, Plaza de la Independencia File:Casco viejo de panama1.jpg, San Francisco de Asís Church File:Altar de la Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís.jpg, Inside San Francisco de Asís Church File:Teatro Nacional Panamá.jpg, National Theater File:Despues del ensayo en el Teatro Nacional.jpg, Inside the National Theater File:Compañia de jesus.jpg, Society of Jesus File:Convento Arco Chato Panama.jpg, Convento de Santo Domingo File:Arco chato panama.jpg, Arco Chato File:Altar de oro de San Jose.jpg, San José Church File:Casco viejo panama.jpg, Typical houses File:Edificio_del_Ministerio_de_Gobierno_y_Justicia_-_Casco_Viejo_de_la_Ciudad_de_Panamá.jpg, Palacio Nacional File:Palacio de las Garzas.jpg, Palacio de las Garzas File:CasaGóngoraCascoViejo.JPG, Casa Góngora File:Panama Catedral Metropolitana.jpg, Catedral Metropolitana File:Inside the Metropolitan Cathedral.jpg, Inside the Catedral Metropolitana File:Main plaza in Casco Viejo.jpg, Plaza Bolivar File:Plano Panamá 1789.jpg, Map of Panama and its suburb in 1789 File:PlazaHerreraCascoViejoPma.JPG, Plaza Herrera File:Ciudad de Panamá.jpg, Panama City view from Casco Viejo

References

External links

* {{Authority control Geography of Panama City History of Panama City Historic districts Populated places in Panamá Province Spanish Colonial architecture World Heritage Sites in Panama Tourist attractions in Panama City