Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
central plaza. The fare for any destination in town is not usually more than US$3, and of-
ten it's less.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
PANAMA'S OLDEST CHURCH
Founded on May 20, 1522, Natá is the oldest surviving town in Panama. The con-
quistadors came here to claim prodigious quantities of gold. Today, little remains of
its rich history aside from a few colonial houses and the lovely, well-preserved
Iglesia de Natá
, one of the oldest churches in the Americas. This is Panama's oldest
continental church; there's a predecessor on Isla Saboga.
Upon the founding of Natá, 60 soldiers took up residence and enslaved the local
indigenous population. Indigenous artisans made the church's remarkable
carvings. A close look at at the Altar of the Virgin shows the culture's influence in
the sculpted fruit, leaves and feathered serpents on its two columns. Artists posi-
tioned carved angels at its base to signify their power.
Ecuadorian artist José Samaniego created theHoly Trinitypainting to the right of
the altar in 1758. For many years it was kept censored from public view, since its
Trinity shows three Christlike individuals, a considerable breach of Church canon.
During a 1995 restoration, three skeletons were discovered under the floor be-
neath the Trinity painting. Their identities remain a mystery. Four belfry bells date
from the 20th century. The originals, made of solid gold, were stolen years ago.
The columns are made ofníspero,a hardwood found in Bocas del Toro Province.
The entire ceiling has been replaced with pine and cedar.
Natá can be reached by all the buses that use this stretch of the Interamericana;
they pass in either direction every 15 minutes or so. Natá is 30 minutes from Pen-
onomé and 15 minutes from Aguadulce.
TOP OF CHAPTER
La Pintada
This small foothill town, just 12km northwest of downtown Penonomé, boasts an artis-
ans' market and a cigar factory. If you're staying in Penonomé for the night or simply
passing through the area, it's worth stopping at La Pintada to pick up some attractive
handicrafts and a few fresh-rolled cigars direct from the source.
La Pintada's famous
Mercado de Artesanías La Pintada
(Pintado Artisans' Market;
983-0313; 9am-4pm)
specializes in Penonomé-style panama hats. The material used in
panamas occasionally varies from one town to the next, though here hats are made of
