NOTA CENTRAL
PA N A M Á
ALGUNAS IMÁGENES DE LA CATEDRAL
Tomadas de panamaviejaescuela.com
Catedral. Mediados siglo XIX
and are placed in the left tower.
Legend recovered by Ernesto de Jesus Cas-
tillero Reyes that were made in Spain and that
when they melted in Toledo and their craftsmen
made the last touches, they passed to the works-
hop the emperor Carlos V and his wife, the Em-
press Isabel of Portugal, next to an entourage of
courtiers.
The Empress asked what was to be merged,
and when she learned that it was the bells for the
city of Panama, when they poured the copper in
the molds of clay, in a gesture of romantic deta-
chment and sympathy, she stripped herself of a
beautiful gold ring (At another time, it was said of
a filigree necklace) and threw it into the crucible
where the bronze was boiling. Their action was
immediately imitated by the courtiers, who threw
earrings, rings and other adornments.
It is said that, because of this, the bells have a
very harmonious melody, a special sonority.
In the right tower, there are those made in
Trujillo, Peru, donated by the San Ignacio Sanz
Merino Panamanian bishop and doctor Manuel
Joaquín González de Acuña, who also presented
the high altar and a large number of tools.
The magnificent high altar, with a cost of 7000
pesos, is completed and blessed in 1800. The ca-
thedral, following the medieval tradition, will be
the last home of wealthy Spaniards and Panama-
nians. Espino reports that, under the main altar,
there is a crypt where the remains of the bishops
who have occupied the chair of Panama rest.
Its total cost is estimated at 200 000 pesos,
and its construction took 108 years.
Restorations
With the beginning of the wars of independen-
ce in 1810, the cathedral became a military point of
view for the Spanish and center of the blessings of
arms for the expeditions against the patriots.
During the heat of these battles, the viceroyalty
of New Granada will be established twice in the Pa-
namanian province.
In the diocesan government of the bishop Dr. Ig-
nacio Antonio Parra (1871-1875) the brick floor was
replaced by the large square colored brick, under the
direction of the engineer Manuel Jose Hurtado.
The second consecration was given, on the order
of Bishop Ignacio Antonio Parra, on May 5, 1876,
to consecrate his successor, Bishop José Telésforo
Paúl, who later undertook new reparations due to
the fire of 1879.
A tremor occurred in 1882, destroyed part of the
facade, which had to be rebuilt.
Currently, the Santa María la Antigua cathedral
basilica church is being restored with financial su-
pport from the National Institute of Culture and its
Historic Patrimony Department, a project to be cul-
minated in December of this year with the support
of the Committee of Friends of Churches of the Old
Town (CAICA). So far, more than a hundred cathe-
dral burials, some objects of interest, geophysical
surveys, archaeological surveys, rescue and restora-
tion of wooden sculptures of the frontispiece, altar-
pieces, choirs, altars and bells have been registered.
This effort is aimed at receiving, in February 2019,
the first Hispanic American pope, and to celebrate
the World Catholic Youth Festival.
1875
Fachada de la catedral antes de comenzar las remodelaciones en 2016
1885
1900
16
1914
1940