Metropolitan Cathedral, Panama City

No trip to Panama City's Old Town is complete without visiting a beautiful historic edifice on Independence Square, that is Metropolitan Cathedral. The construction of the cathedral started in 1688 and took 108 years to complete, so the place was not officially consecrated until 1796. In the late 19th century, an earthquake destroyed pretty much all of the neighboring buildings, but the cathedral itself remarkably survived. Also surprisingly, for many years later it had remained deserted until a major renovation was undertaken in 2003.

The cathedral stands out for its contrasting color combination and the mix of architectural styles which in turn offers a glimpse of the fascinating history of the country. The stones used for the construction of the entrance wall were taken from the ruins of the city of Viejo. Grey in color, this wall is contrasted by the two tower-like structures on both sides of the entrance, which are white. These towers are layered with material called 鈥渕other of pearl鈥�, brought from the Pearl Islands.

The cathedral is particularly spectacular at night when the whole structure is lit up.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Panama City. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Metropolitan Cathedral
Sight Location: Panama City, Panama (See walking tours in Panama City)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Panama City, Panama

Create Your Own Walk in Panama City

Creating your own self-guided walk in Panama City is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Historical Churches Tour

Caught between the lush green mountains and the ocean, the capital of Panama is a concentration of colors and styles. The evidence of Spanish influence is still vivid in the colonial landmarks, especially religious sites.

For centuries, colonial religious architecture has played an important role in the configuration of the urban layout of Panama City. By the 17th century, convents had an... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles

Old Town Walking Tour

Casco Antiguo, also known as Casco Viejo, is the fabulous old city of Panama. UNESCO has recognized the old city's cultural and architectural importance and listed Old Town as a World Heritage Site.

Spain founded Panama City in 1519. In 1671, pirate Henry Morgan destroyed the original city. In 1674 Spanish conquistador Alonso Mercado de Villacorta rebuilt Casco Viejo five miles south of... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles

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