Page 59 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

CasCo Viejo and around Panama City 57
on the left-hand pavement provide an obvious clue to the function of the striking 1
blue-and-white-striped Art Deco building – one of two homes of the national lottery
(the other lies on Avenida Perú). A little further along on the left is the gleaming
white-and-cream Neoclassical Casa de la Municipalidad, seat of the city government.

Iglesia de la Merced
C 10 at Av Central • Daily 6am–7pm • Free
Next door to the Casa de la Municipalidad stands the crumbling Baroque facade of the
city’s oldest church, Iglesia de la Merced, which in 1680 was reconstructed on its present
site using the original stones from Panamá Viejo. The facade is the best-preserved section
of the church, which gives way inside to some poorly conceived twentieth-century
restoration work, though the gilded wooden altar retains some appeal.

Plaza de la Catedral
Midway down Avenida Central the street opens out into the old quarter’s most impressive
square, Plaza de la Catedral – also known as Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Independencia,
since the proclamations of independence from Spain and separation from Colombia were
both made here (the newly restored Central Hotel, on the east side of the plaza, played a
starring role in both events). Numerous busts of the nation’s founding fathers are
scattered beneath the shady trees surrounding the striking central gazebo, with the
Republic’s first president, Manuel Amador Guerrero, taking pride of place.
A craft market is held in the plaza on the last weekend of the month, and the first
non-bank-holiday Sunday of the month sees a flea market (10am–5pm). In addition,
free evening concerts are frequently held on balmy summer nights.

Catedral Metropolitana
Plaza de la Catedral • Closed for renovations; due to reopen 2019 • Free
Flanked by white towers sparkling with inlaid mother-of-pearl, the hybrid
Neoclassical and Baroque olive-and-cream sandstone facade of the Catedral
Metropolitana dominates the plaza. It was built between 1688 and 1796 using stone
brought from the ruins of Panamá Viejo (see box, p.71). Three of its bells were also
recovered from its ruined predecessor, and reputedly owe their distinctive tone to a
gold ring thrown by Queen Isabella I of Spain into the molten metal from which they
were cast. The interior is tatty in places, though the large altarpiece carved from seven
types of Italian marble is suitably imposing. To its right lies a trapdoor marking the
entrance to tunnels – not open to visitors – designed as escape routes, connecting the
cathedral to the churches of La Merced and San José.
Museo de Historia de Panamá
Palacio Municipal, Plaza de la Catedral • Mon–Fri 8am–4pm • $1 • T228 6231
Southeast of the cathedral is the splendid Neoclassical Palacio Municipal, built in 1910 on
the site of the former city hall. On the ground floor, the Museo de Historia de Panamá
offers a cursory introduction to Panamanian history, focusing on symbols of independence
such as the national flag, the national anthem and the coat of arms, alongside an eclectic
mixture of maps and artefacts (explanations in Spanish). Despite some recent interactive
additions, it will probably only appeal to history buffs. The languorous nude reclining in
the entrance hall represents Panama bathing in the waters of the two oceans.
Museo del Canal Interoceánico
Plaza de la Catedral • Tues–Sun 9am–5pm • $10; audioguides in English or Spanish $3; prebooked guided tours in English $15/person
(including entry); three people minimum • T211 1649, Wmuseodelcanal.com
Housed in a three-storey French colonial building, complete with mansard roof and
shutters, the excellent Museo del Canal Interoceánico offers a comprehensive account

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