Casa Gongora (Gongora House), Panama City

Casa Gongora (Gongora House), Panama City

Gongora House is one of the oldest and the only genuine colonial house in Panama City. Built in 1756 by Captain Paul Gongora, a Spanish merchant who dealt in pearls, this is the last surviving piece of the 18th century colonial architecture in the city. The house was bequeathed to the church after Gongora's death and changed hands several times before it was finally handed over to the Panama Municipality in 1995.

UNESCO declared Gongora House along with the entire Old Town as the World Heritage site in 1997. During restoration that took place in 1998-99, much of the original woodwork, such as the doors, balconies and the armor, were left intact. Now a municipal property, Gongora House serves as a cultural center and hosts regular exhibitions by local artists. You can pop in casually to see some local creations or just admire the restored architecture and woodwork. You can also attend free jazz concerts on Wednesday nights at 8 o'clock and, if lucky, get a chance to catch Friday night bolero concert as well.

A legacy of the colonial rule, Gongora House is known to be of a great historic importance for having retained its original architectural style until today. Touring this extraordinary place will give you an opportunity to see with your own eyes what life was like in the colonial times. The house is open on all days and the entry is free.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Panama City. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Casa Gongora (Gongora House) on Map

Sight Name: Casa Gongora (Gongora House)
Sight Location: Panama City, Panama (See walking tours in Panama City)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Panama City, Panama

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Create Your Own Walk in Panama City

Creating your own self-guided walk in Panama City is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Old Town Walking Tour

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Spain founded Panama City in 1519. In 1671, pirate Henry Morgan destroyed the original city. In 1674 Spanish conquistador Alonso Mercado de Villacorta rebuilt Casco Viejo five miles south of...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles
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For centuries, colonial religious architecture has played an important role in the configuration of the urban layout of Panama City. By the 17th century, convents had an...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles