Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sleeping
3
Hotel Piamonte
B3
Eating
4
Boquitas Caseras
B3
5
Los Portales
B3
Museo Belisario Porras
MUSEUM
(Av Belisario Porras; adult/child US$0.50/0.25; 9am-12:30pm & 1:30am-4pm Tue-Sat, 9am-
noon Sun)
Opposite the Central Plaza is the mud-walled former home of three-time pres-
ident Belisario Porras, during whose administration the Panama Canal opened. The mu-
seum contains many artifacts from Porras' life and serves as a monument to the achieve-
ments of this widely revered man.
Porras was president for all but two years during the period from 1912 to 1924. He is
credited with establishing Panama's network of public hospitals, creating a national re-
gistry for land titles and constructing scores of bridges and aqueducts.
As an aside, Porras' male descendants wear their whiskers in his unusual style - a
thick, prideful mustache resembling the horns of a Texas longhorn steer.
Iglesia Santa Librada
CHURCH
(Av Belisario Porras)
This baroque-style church near the central plaza opened its doors on
March 9, 1789, but sustained major damage during a 1950 fire. The walls and the base of
the pulpit are original, as are the painted faces on the ornate 23-karat gold-leaf altar.
Cedar wood was used in the construction of the altar, renovated in 2001.
Festivals & Events
Carnaval
FESTIVAL
The best Carnaval in Panama, it is held during the four days that precede Ash Wednesday
. At dusk, floats and musicians are paraded on parallel streets. Crowds pack the side-
