Dear Friends of Patrimonio Panamá:

And the anniversary of the official transfer of the city of Panama approximates the 21 th of January, 1673. Our city of Panama was founded by Pedrarias Dávila the 15 of August, 1519, and its importance in the path of the riches of America as link port trade routes, was target of pirates. Henry Morgan, English pirate, formed a coalition of pirates who attacked the Isthmus of Panama and crossed from the Caribbean to the city of Panama and swept the 28 th of January, 1671. The pirates left the city laden with booty and hostages 24 February 1671 after a long invasion, torture of people, and plunder.

The lawyer Don Miguel Francisco de Marichalar, He sent the Viceroy of Peru estimated the death toll from the invasion and its aftermath disease, injuries and unsafe conditions resulting from the destruction of the capital, in 3,000 people. Marichalar came with first aid sent to Panama; sailed from Callao in March with 2500 Men and arrived in April; this to give us an idea of ​​the distance and speed of communications in the seventeenth century.

The Spanish crown ordered the rehabilitation of the city of Panama for its strategic importance, and made her move to a safer place within its own administrative jurisdiction (See Figure 1), only eight kilometers from the ravaged city (Today Historical Monuments of Panama Viejo) closer to a deepwater port site on the Perico Island (Today grounded by the Amador Causeway with Naos and Flamenco; see Figure 2). The new governor (because above, Don Juan Perez de Guzman, was strictly fired), Don Antonio Fernández de Córdoba, He made the official Transition 21 th of January, 1673, culminating two years of hard labor for relief and transfer of the city; although the construction of the walls and buildings took many years, the city was relocated to the site known today as the Historical Monumental Complex of Old Town of the city of Panama.

Figure 1. Approximate boundaries of the city of Panama as royal decree of 6 th of September, 1521.

Centuries later, Panama City Council, by Municipal Agreement No.59 of 13 of May 1953, officially declared 15 August as the date of the founding of the city of Panama and considered the 21 January as the date of transfer and removal.

Friends, Panama City is one, Founded in 1519 and in the year 2019 shall comply 500 years old. It is the oldest city in the Pacific coast in the Americas. It departed expeditions Francisco Pizarro and Gil Gonzalez and Child, and crossed the 60% of American wealth in transit to Europe. She is the center of the universe in the ideology of Bolivar. No doubt there is a single city; the only one in Latin America with this experience Shuttle after the invasion of 1671. Celebrate with pride for its strength and permanence, the anniversary of his extraordinary Transition 21 th of January, 1673.

Regards,

Katti Osorio Ugarte, Ph.D.

Figure 2. A single property: Archaeological site of Panama Viejo (Monumental historic set of Panama Viejo) and Historic District of Panama (within a Monumental Historic Old Town Panama City) (790bis) (Panamá)

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Errata:

Thanks to timely commentary Carlos May, could adjust the final paragraph, happened to read ” It departed expeditions Francisco Pizarro and Gil Gonzalez and Child…”, of ” It departed expeditions Francisco Pizarro and Cortes…”

References:

Araúz, Celestino and Patricia Pizzurno. 1997. The Panama Hispano (1501 – 1821). Panama City: Diario La Prensa.

Castillero Calvo, Alfred. 2006. Society, Economy and Material Culture: Urban History of Panama la Vieja. Panama City: Patronato Panama Viejo.

García de Paredes, Luis E. 1954. Move, Transfer and Reconstruction in Panama City 1673. Lecture at the University of Panama 13 of August, 1954. Panama City Council. Panamá, Panama City.

Related Posts:

341st anniversary of the relocation of Panama City (January 2013)