The Bay of Portobelo was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his fourth voyage in 1502, and because of its great beauty he called it Porto Bello (beautiful port in Italian). But, the city was not founded until almost a century later, on March 20-1597, by Francisco Valverde y Mercado, who named it San Felipe de Portobelo in honor of Philip II of Spain. Portobelo emerged to replace the town of Nombre de Dios, which did not have good conditions. In this town of around 3 thousand inhabitants, you can still feel the gold, the pirates and the distant legends of a fascinating history. A place with an incredible cultural, archaeological and historical wealth.
Visited by Pirates
The gold attracted pirates such as Francis Drake, William Parker, and Henry Morgan, all of whom sacked the city on various occasions. There is a belief that the remains of Francis Drake are found in Portobelo Bay, after he died of yellow fever.
Historic
When visiting Portobelo you can visit the remains of the forts of Santiago de la Gloria, San Jeronimo, San Fernando and San Fernandino. Also the San Juan de Dios Church (headquarters of the Black Christ), the convent of the Mercedarian Fathers and the Customs building.
Trade
Over time, Portobelo became one of the most important places for the transfer of gold and silver, with the system of Fairs and Galleons. Establishing first in Nombre de Dios and then in Portobelo as the convergence center of the two businesses, that of Lima from where torrents of gold and silver flowed and that of Seville, the commercial capital of the Empire. In its best time, the fairs lasted for 30 or 40 days and in times of decline for 10 or 12 days.
Portobelo is today a World Heritage Site, the favorite place of many to visit, a city where ancestors of Panamanians walked.
