Ancon Hill rises in the heart of Panama City and geographically separates the Panama Canal gap and the city. The 200 m high elevation stands as an iconic symbol of natural beauty and national inspiration.
Surveillance Point for the Protection of the New City
The importance of this hill begins when the Spanish must move Panama City (located where Panama La Vieja Historical Monument is today), after the destruction of the first Panama City settlement the hill served as a surveillance point for the Spanish (1671) at the new site where the city was built. The Spanish also found the only sources of water nearby on the slopes of the hill. This is how Panama was refounded near the Ancon site in 1673. Soon the neighborhood of San Felipe, the main neighborhood would be built to the southeast of the hill, and El Chorrillo, along the road that led to the eyes of Agua.
Protagonist of the Construction and History of the Canal
In 1904, with the beginning of works on the interoceanic canal, Cerro Ancon was within the area administered by the United States government, becoming a quarry that provided stones for the construction of the Panama Canal.
On the slopes of the hill, the Canal Administration building was built, the most emblematic symbol of the North American occupation in Panama. Although its function remains the same, now with Panamanian administration.
The surroundings of Cerro Ancon had such precise planning that the field looking towards the obelisk in honor of the engineer George Washington Goethals, responsible for building the canal locks at the beginning of the 20th century, has the same dimensions as one of the locks of the interoceanic waterway.
Architectural History in the Surroundings of Cerro Ancon
The architectural history of this site is found on the slopes of the hill, where what it used to be the house of Governor of the Canal Zone is located (today it is called the Administrator’s House and is used for formal events) and a little further up the Quarry houses Heights, among which the one known as House No. 1 stands out, where the former head of the United States Southern Command used to lived, commander of all the forces of that country south of the Rio Grande. These were built by the French and designed using all the experience gained to build in the tropics and being mobile allowed the engineers who occupied them to always be close to the works.
Natural Lung Full of Biodiversity
Cerro Ancon has great environmental importance as a natural landmark of the city, named a Protected Area and Natural Reserve of Panama. Its unique ecosystem and geological features add to the overall biodiversity of the region. It is home to a variety of tropical plant species that have adapted to the conditions close to the urban environment. Its forests provide habitat for wildlife.
In the forests you can see different species of birds. Various reptiles, amphibians and insects also inhabit it, contributing to its rich biodiversity. The delicate balance of species within the Cerro Ancon ecosystem highlights the importance of preserving and conserving this natural monument.
Today Cerro Ancon is also a tourist site where people can enjoy an unbeatable view of the city and the Bay of Panama.