Founded on August 15, 1519, as the first city along the Pacific shore, Panama Viejo is today a national monument and an archaeological treasure. A restoration project has resurrected parts of the ancient enclave, allowing visitors to appreciate what was once one of the wealthiest cities of its time.

Built atop a pre-Columbian burial ground on promontory overlooking the sea, the original city was protected to he north by a marshy inlet. For a century and a half, it prospered as a clearing house and marshalling point for the Camino Real, the treasure trail that linked Panama to the Caribbean port at Nombre de Dios and Portobelo.