Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá
Founded in 1519 by the conquistador Pedrarías
Dávila, Panamá Viejo is the oldest European settlement on the Pacific
coast of the Americas. It was laid out on a rectilinear grid and marks
the transference from Europe of the idea of a planned town. Abandoned in
the mid-17th century, it was replaced by a ‘new town’ (the ‘Historic
District’), which has also preserved its original street plan, its
architecture and an unusual mixture of Spanish, French and early
American styles. The Salón Bolívar was the venue for the unsuccessful
attempt made by El Libertador in 1826 to establish a multinational continental congress.