The Plaza Where Panama Changed Its History
Originally known as Plaza Mayor and also called Plaza Catedral, it was created as the main public space of the new Panama City established in 1673. Essential buildings for religious and political life were erected facing it, including the Metropolitan Cathedral and the old Town Hall (Cabildo). From the latter, Independence from Spain was announced to the public on November 28, 1821; decades later, the plaza once again took center stage during the events of November 1903, when Panama separated from Colombia.
History among trees, bricks, and founding figures
Today, the rhythm is different. Pedestrians, tourists, and residents cross its brick pathways, rest beneath the trees, or admire the Cathedral from the white gazebo. As you walk through, you will also spot busts of key figures in the 1903 separation, including José Agustín Arango, Tomás Arias, Federico Boyd, and Manuel Amador Guerrero. Surrounding it, the Municipal Palace and the Canal Museum reinforce the feeling of walking through a core of national memory.
Plaza de la Independencia deserves more than just a quick walk-through on your way to another destination. Pausing here means discovering that some of Panama's most significant chapters unfolded right around this plaza.
