Founded on August 15, 1519, by Spanish conquistador Pedro Arias Dávila, **Panamá Viejo** (Old Panama) holds the distinction of being the first European settlement established on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Positioned strategically along the Isthmus, it grew rapidly into a vital commercial hub through which immense quantities of silver and gold extracted from South America—particularly Peru—were transported toward the Caribbean coast and shipped back to Europe. At its peak, the city boasted a thriving urban layout featuring stone churches, convents, residential mansions, and a central square (Plaza Mayor). However, its prominence made it a prime target for maritime raiders. In January 1671, the Welsh privateer Captain Henry Morgan attacked and sacked the city. The ensuing conflict and fires devastated the settlement. Rather than rebuilding on the charred site, the Spanish authorities relocated two years later to a nearby peninsula, establishing what is today known ...