Page 61 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

CasCo Viejo and around Panama City 59
in 1926 to commemorate one hundred years since the Amphyctionic Congress – 1
the first Panamerican gathering, organized by Bolívar, aimed at unifying the newly
independent Latin American countries in their relations with Spain. Although “El
Libertador” (The Liberator) failed to attend the congress, and his dreams of unity
ultimately foundered, it was considered a historic event.

Palacio Bolívar and Salón Bolívar
Northeastern corner of Plaza Bolívar • Mon–Fri 8am–4pm • Free
The Palacio Bolívar, whose impressive peach-and-white facade extends along the eastern
edge of the square, is well worth a peek. Having served as part of a convent, military
barracks and a school, the building now houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among
other government offices. It has been beautifully restored, its courtyard – the Plaza de
los Libertadores – boasting a magnificent translucent roof allowing in lots of natural
light. From a raised platform at the far side a bronze bust of the visionary Liberator
looks on. To the right as you enter is the Salón Bolívar, formerly the chapter house of a
Franciscan monastery where the Amphyctionic Congress took place, and now a small
museum. It contains a replica of the Liberator’s gold ceremonial sword, encrusted with
more than a thousand diamonds, and the congress’s original documents.
Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco de Asís
Southeastern corner of Plaza Bolívar • Daily 7am–7pm • Free
On the southeastern corner of the plaza, next to the Palacio Bolívar (see above), the
recently renovated Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco de Asís has finally reopened after
years of neglect. Established by the Franciscans in the seventeenth century, it was later
taken over by the Jesuits, who were responsible for its present design, adding the
imposing bell tower in 1918 – which is still closed due to a lack of funding. Get a
welcome blast of cool air conditioning as you check out the restrained interior, which
features delightful modern stained-glass windows laden with Franciscan symbolism,
and, framing the main altar, a beautifully restored mural composed of Venetian mosaic.
Iglesia San Felipe de Neri
Plaza Bolívar at Av “B” and C 4 • Daily 7am–7pm • Free
Built in 1688, Iglesia San Felipe de Neri was one of Casco Viejo’s earliest churches; it served
as a shrine to the cathedral and then, much later, as a children’s home and orphanage.

Teatro Nacional
Eastern end of Av “B” • Closed for renovations • T262 3525
The handsome Teatro Nacional was one of the first grand national buildings to be
commissioned by the newly independent Panamanian state. Built on the site of a former
convent and designed by Italian architect Genaro Ruggieri, the magnificent Italianate
Neoclassical edifice, with a splendid Baroque interior, opened its doors to the public in
1908. Despite initial success, the global depression of the 1930s brought a slump in the
venue’s fortunes, and it became a cinema for a while before falling into neglect. After
substantial restoration work, the theatre reopened in 1974 with a performance by Margot
Fonteyn, the British ballerina and long-term Panama resident, whose bronze bust adorns the
foyer, alongside that of Roberto Lewis, whose allegorical frescoes depicting the birth of the
nation can be seen on the vaulted ceiling. It is hoped that the current renovations will be
completed by early 2019, when occasional theatrical productions (see p.85) should resume.

The ramparts
Two hundred metres southeast of the Teatro Nacional, steps lead up to Paseo Esteban
Huertas, a delightful, breezy, bougainvillea-covered promenade that runs some 400m

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