Panamá Viejo

Panamá Viejo is the archaeological site and ruins of the original Spanish city of Panama, founded in 1519 and later destroyed during a 17th-century attack. The visible remains include towers, church ruins and the outlines of streets and plazas.

Highlights on-site include the ruined cathedral tower, excavated plazas and a visitor museum that interprets the city’s founding, daily life and destruction. The site provides a tangible record of the early colonial port that linked Spain’s Pacific territories.

The city was established by Spanish colonists in 1519 and flourished as a transshipment port until it was attacked and sacked by the privateer Henry Morgan in 1671, after which the colonial settlement was moved to the site now known as Casco Viejo. Excavations and preservation work have taken place in the 20th and 21st centuries to stabilise and interpret the ruins.

The ruins sit on the eastern edge of modern Panama City, on the Pacific shore of Panama Bay and within easy driving distance from the contemporary urban centre.

• Founding and destruction: Founded in 1519 by the Spanish and sacked in 1671 by the pirate Henry Morgan, which led to the relocation of Panama City across the bay.
• UNESCO inscription: Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List jointly with the historic district of Panama City (Casco Viejo) for its combined historical value.

What to See #

• Cathedral tower and ruins: The ruined cathedral tower and archaeological remains at the original Spanish settlement, with a museum and visitor facilities interpreting the city's history.
• Excavated urban remains: Excavated plazas, streets and building foundations that reveal the layout of the early colonial city founded by the Spanish in the 16th century.