Panama-Viejo Day (Old Panama) (15/08)

In 1519, the first Spanish colony and the oldest European settlement was founded on the coast of the Pacific Ocean of America. — city of Panama Viejo (Old Panama, Old Panama City). August 15 marks the anniversary of the founding of Panama Viejo. The city has an official day off on this day.

Nowadays, the 15th century is reminiscent of itself in the ancient ruins of a city destroyed by sea pirates. This historical part of the capital is protected by the state. The archaeological monuments of Panama Viejo (Old Panama) and the historical part of the city of Panama were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 and 2003.

Old Town — Panama Viejo — had a rectangular grid layout, indicating the development of the idea of city layout, and an unusual mixture of different styles — Spanish, French and emerging American. Only numerous ruins of buildings from the 14th and 15th centuries have survived to this day.

However, the square tower of Catedral Viejo (« of the old cathedral»), the university, powerful walls and fortifications built to protect against pirate raids, the monasteries of Santo Domingo and San Francisco, the churches of San Jose, La Compaña de Jesus and La Concepcion, the ruins of the monastery of La Merced, the Royal Bridge, as well as several churches from the 17th to 18th centuries have survived surprisingly well.

In the mid-17th century, the old city was abandoned and replaced by New Panama City. New Panama was founded on January 21, 1673, and retained its original layout.

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