Alarcón House – The Bishops House

  • A house was originally built in 1590 by the bishops of the colony
  • Intended to be rented out to obtain regular income for the rebuilding of the Cathedral, but the bishops moved in themselves
  • Purchased in 1640 by Pedro de Alarcón, a wealthy citizen, who demolished it and constructed a bigger one
  • Best-preserved and largest known private residence, which dates from the 1640s
  • The house was 900 m² which might have been the largest residence
  • The main body of the house is square
  • To the right you can see the start of the staircase leading to the upper floor
  • In the central part, the house opened to a covered porch, with a square patio
  • Behind the courtyard are two other low buildings, separated by a wall, intended to house the servants

 

Back to Panama Viejo or on to 14. Casas Reales