• Built on the grounds of a former Franciscan monastery that succumbed to various fires
  • Now the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Relations and a small museum about Panama’s political history
  • The totally restored Salón Bolívar was the site of the famous 1826 Amphictyonic congress organized by Bolívar to discuss the unification of Colombia, Mexico, and Central America
  • It contains a replica of the Liberator’s gold ceremonial sword, encrusted with over a thousand diamonds, and the congress’s original documents
  • The historical importance of this salon prompted UNESCO to declare Casco Viejo a World Heritage Site
  • The first Constitution of Panama was drafted here

The courtyard (note the huge compass in the floor) is open to the surf in the back, where part of the original city foundations can be seen

 

Next: Hotel Colombia