Panama, Casco Antiguo, Casco Viejo

Last June 2nd, Italy celebrated their anniversary as a Republic.  You might not be aware of this, but many of the main buildings in Casco Viejo were designed by Genaro Ruggieri, an Italian who back in 1908 gave us some of our main landmarks such as the National Theatre, the National Palace and the Municipal Palace.  Those were the days where Panama was being built (literally) as a new Republic (our independence was in 1903).  The National Theater, for example, at some point even served as a meeting place for the National Assemble, as there wasn´t a building fit for it at the time.  On its inauguration, an Italian troupe (by Mario Lambardi) was chosen to perform Aida.  I`ve always wondered how they made it to fit the elephants there…

Today, Italians continue to be an important part of Casco, with their small pizzerias, cafes and even developing buildings and hotels. Explore Arco Recommends to check them out!