{"id":3841,"date":"2017-11-20T17:54:56","date_gmt":"2017-11-20T23:54:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitcentroamerica.com\/visitar\/panama-viejo-historical-monumental-complex\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T20:49:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T02:49:49","slug":"panama-viejo-historical-monumental-complex","status":"publish","type":"pit","link":"https:\/\/www.visitcentroamerica.com\/en\/visit\/panama-viejo-historical-monumental-complex\/","title":{"rendered":"Panama Viejo Historical Monumental Complex"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Panam\u00e1<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"Panam\u00e1<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The\u00a0Panama Viejo Historical Monumental Complex<\/strong>, also known as\u00a0Panam\u00e1 La Vieja<\/strong>, is an excellent site to appreciate the historical structures of the first Spanish city founded in Panama. Panam\u00e1 La Vieja was declared a Historical Monumental Complex on December 22, 1976.<\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The site includes the ruins of the first\u00a0European<\/strong>\u00a0settlement on the\u00a0Pacific Coast of the Americas<\/strong>, as well as traces of the first inhabitants of the Isthmus. The city was founded by\u00a0Pedrarias D\u00e1vila<\/strong>\u00a0on August 15th, 1519, and reached 10,000 inhabitants in the\u00a0XVII century<\/strong>. Here you can also enjoy a viewpoint from where you can admire part of the city of Panama, and you can also buy traditional Panamanian crafts.<\/p>\n

Initially, Panama\u2019s function was closely linked to the conquest expeditions heading to the\u00a0Inca Empire of Peru<\/strong>, South America, in 1532. However, its strategic role as the terminal of the most interesting commercial routes of the American continent, placed the city in a privileged position as a territory at the service of international transit. These were famous routes for the fairs of\u00a0Nombre de Dios and Portobelo<\/strong>, passing the gold and silver obtained by Spain in America.<\/p>\n

In 1671 the city was attacked by the forces of the English pirate\u00a0Henry Morgan<\/strong>\u00a0with intentions to loot the city. To protect the population and the land, Don Juan Perez de Guzman, the city\u2019s General Captain, ordered the evacuation of the city and exploded gunpowder from the city\u2019s deposits causing a massive fire that completely destroyed the city. The city was rebuilt in 1673 in a new location, two kilometers away from the original city, on the slopes of Cerro Anc\u00f3n, currently known as the Old Quarter or Casco Antiguo.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

GEOPOSITION<\/span><\/h2><\/div>