Museum of Colonial Religious Art, Panama City

The Church and Convent of Santo Domingo was one of the most important religious complexes in Panama’s historic district. Established in the 1670s, the Dominican convent suffered severe damage during catastrophic fires in 1737 and 1756, events that devastated much of the colonial city and left the main church largely in ruins.

What survives today is a carefully restored ensemble of stone walls, arcades, and restrained architectural elements that reflect the sober style favored by the Dominican order. The site’s most distinctive feature is the Flat Arch, a rare, nearly horizontal masonry arch originally built to support the church’s wooden choir loft, measuring roughly 15 meters. Although it stood for more than three centuries, the original structure collapsed in November 2003 and was subsequently faithfully reconstructed.

The Flat Arch is closely linked to the history of the Panama Canal. During debates in the United States Congress in the early 20th century over the canal’s route, the arch’s long survival was cited as evidence that Panama was not located in a major earthquake zone. Panamanian advocates used this argument to counter concerns about seismic and volcanic risks associated with the rival Nicaragua route, helping shape the narrative that favored Panama.

The Museum of Colonial Religious Art is housed in the adjacent restored Chapel of Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Inside, the museum preserves a collection of colonial-era religious art, including altars, paintings, sculptures, and silver liturgical objects dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Many of these pieces were salvaged from other churches in Panama City and interior regions, offering insight into the artistic traditions, religious practices, and craftsmanship of the Spanish colonial period.