The Original Panama City – A Photo Essay

Panama City, Panama

In the heart of downtown Panama City lies the remains of the original settlement of Panama dating back to 1519. In 1671 Henry Morgan pillaged and attacked the city causing the eventual fire that destroyed it. The city was rebuilt in Casco Viejo which eventually grew to include the Panama City of today.

Mac and I took the public bus to this UNESCO World Heritage site and spent the morning walking around the ruins of the old town. Though most of the masonry walls are crumbling, a few of the buildings remain. In order to prevent them from succumbing to the same fate of the rest of the city, constant restoration projects are on the go. What I thought was really neat about the restoration projects is that they wish to maintain as much of the original structure as possible while inflicting the least amount of damage. Straight from one of the signs in a church was the following list for the Principles of Conservation:

• Adding as little as possible to the original structures

• Documenting conservation work

• Achieving the reversibility of modern additions so that they many be distinguished from the original structure

• Using materials and construction techniques that are compatible with the original walls

With initiatives like those, Panama Viejo can continue to be a symbol of the old city for many years to come.

I hope you enjoy the following pictures from our morning touring the old city.