Panamá City
January 27, 2023
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Above: Inside Iglesia de San José, wooden carvings in the basement of the disciples.
Originally a convent run by the Order of the Augustinian Recoletos,
it was founded in 1612. The new and current church was built between 1671 and 1677. To this was added a baroque style altar,
with indigenous and colonial influences, originally made of mahogany wood and covered in gold leaf, the Altar de Oro (Golden Altar).
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1 to 4 show buildings in the Casco Viejo of Panama City. The historic has been under reconstruction for years, and it is estimated 90% of the old buildings have been
fully refurbished. #3 is an example of a building still in need of reconstruction.
5 is the Altar de Oro (Golden Altar) in the current location, built 1671-1677 after pirate Harry Morgan trashed and burned down the original Panama Viejo location.
Legend has it when word came of Morgan’s impending attack, a priest attempted to disguise the altar by painting it with mud and black paint. The priest told Morgan in 1671 that the
famous altar had been stolen by another pirate, and even convinced Morgan to donate handsomely for its replacement. Morgan is said to have told the priest, ‘I don’t know why,
but I think you are more of a pirate than I am.’ The altar was moved to its current location shortly after Morgan left.
6 to 12 show the handmade minature city that depicts events from the life of Jesus Christ, from Mary and Joseph looking for an inn for Jesus' birth onwards.
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