Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
One of the town's major landmarks, and focus of the annual
Festival del Nazareño
,
is the
Iglesia de San Felipe
, which overlooks a bare square. Although its construction started in
1606, the church was only completed in 1814, making it the conquistadors' last religious
building in Panama, with the bell tower added in 1945. Inside you'll find white walls and a
large carved gilt mahogany altarpiece, though the focus of attention inevitably is on the ob-
ject of so much devotion, the so-called
Cristo Negro
, a dark-skinned, lifelike statue of Jesus
bearing the cross that peers out from behind a glass casement.
Museo del Cristo Negro de Portobelo
Iglesia de San Juan de Dios, behind the Iglesia de San Felipe • Closed at the time of writing
Behind the Iglesia de San Felipe lies the Iglesia de San Juan de Dios, containing the
Museo
del Cristo Negro de Portobelo
. Although it hosts a splendid collection of the luxurious vel-
vet robes donated by wealthy devotees for the Christ to wear, it was closed in 2012 due to
lack of funding. At the time of writing, it was uncertain when it would reopen.
