Archaeological Site of Panama Viejo

For Panamanians, Panama Viejo, and especially its cathedral tower, is one of their main national symbols. Its 28 hectares are part of the first city founded by Europeans on the Pacific coast of the Americas. It is also the oldest capital city on the mainland.The first European expeditions to the Americas initially sought a route to the riches of Asia. Thus, the Spanish reached what is now the narrow Isthmus of Panama between 1501 and 1503 and explored its Caribbean coast.With the sighting of the Pacific Ocean in 1513, the Spanish Crown decided to strengthen its control and expand its holdings in the area. Therefore, the governor of the area, called Castilla de Oro, was instructed to establish a settlement on the Pacific coast that would allow for cross-ocean trade. Thus, in 1519, Panama City was founded, one of the most important centers for Spanish conquest and colonization in the Americas.However, Panama City was left in ruins after a pirate attack in 1671. Two years later, the city was moved to a new site, leaving the site abandoned for more than two centuries. This allowed valuable remains of the past to be preserved in Panama Viejo, allowing us to study the origins of the Panamanian capital.