Home History and Culture The New Panama City Celebrates 351 Years since its Foundation in 1673 

The New Panama City Celebrates 351 Years since its Foundation in 1673 

The Old Panama City (known as Old Panama) was destroyed in 1671 by the Spanish, when it was invaded by the English pirate Morgan. This unfortunate event ended with a fire that caused the destruction of the entire city, leaving it unprotected and forcing the search for a new and safe place.

A Site That Could Be Defended from Any Attack

After the destruction of Panama La Vieja (Old Panama) Antonio Fernandez de Cordoba, President and General Captain of Mainland Kingdom, arrived at the Isthmus with the aim of finding another point where he could found the city again. The plan was to find a place that had the best conditions for the inhabitants and that could also be defended against any attack.

The New City is Founded

On January 21, 1673, the New City of Panama was completed, which began to be inhabited by a population of 300 people. Most of them survivors of the pirate attack on the former Old Panama in 1671.

The construction of the new city was based on the foundations of a fortress and market, building a wall for this purpose. It was the way to protect the treasures brought from Peru’s trade and one of the safest ports in the Indies.

The Old Town Today 

The new city of Panama is what is known today as Casco Antiguo, just 2 km southwest of where the old city was founded. The new city was better planned and resembled more closely the Crown’s guidelines in terms of buildings. Churches, houses, a main square and a wall were built on the site, which was improved over time.

Once its construction was completed, the areas were distributed among the inhabitants; The most privileged locations were allocated to civil and religious buildings (cathedral, town hall, Royal Court, among others).

Today, Casco Antiguo apart from having great importance in the historical development and current Panamanian tourism, confirms this status by being recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site of Humanity.

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