Museo de Arte Religioso Colonial

Panama City


Housed beside the ruins of the Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo, the Museo de Arte Religioso Colonial has a collection of colonial-era religious artifacts, some dating from the 16th century.

Just inside the ruins' doorway, the Arco Chato is a long arch that stood here unsupported for centuries. It even played a part in the selection of Panama over Nicaragua as the site for the canal, since its survival was taken as proof that the area was not subject to earthquakes. It collapsed in 2003 but has since been rebuilt.


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1. Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo

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Built in 1678, these gorgeous ruins in Casco Viejo are what remain after two major fires brought down the church's tower and interior areas. Left are the…

2. Teatro Nacional

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3. Museo del Canal Interoceánico

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4. Iglesia de San Francisco

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This restored 17th-century church exhibits Gothic, Romantic and Renaissance architectural influences.

5. Plaza de la Independencia

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In this plaza, in the heart of Casco Viejo, Panama declared its independence from Colombia on November 3, 1903.

6. Parque Bolívar

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7. Museo de Historia de Panamá

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The modest Museo de Historia de Panamá has a small selection of exhibits covering Panamanian history from the colonial period to the modern era.

8. Palacio Municipal

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This neoclassical Casco Viejo building, dating to 1910, houses the modest Museo de Historia de Panamá.