Museum of Colonial Religious Art, Panama City

Museum of Colonial Religious Art, Panama City

The Museum of Colonial Religious Art is housed in the restored Church and Convent of Santo Domingo that was built in 1673. The original structure was ravaged by fire in 1737 and 1756 along with much of Panama City.

Today, you can see a beautiful building with columns and bricks paired inlaid facades. The prominent, flat 15-meter long Arco Chato is a famous arch that used to form the choir base in the original building and is still in place. During the long debate in the US congress over the proposed location of the then nascent canal across the American continent, the Arco Chato is said to have tipped the scales in Panama’s favor since its survival was taken as the proof that that the area was not in an earthquake zone.

The museum collection includes colonial era religious artifacts dating back to the 16th century. If you have a penchant for museums or want to explore religious art, this would be a good place to visit.

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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Museum of Colonial Religious Art on Map

Sight Name: Museum of Colonial Religious Art
Sight Location: Panama City, Panama (See walking tours in Panama City)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Panama City, Panama

Create Your Own Walk in Panama City

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

Old Town Walking Tour

Casco Antiguo, also known as Casco Viejo, is the fabulous old city of Panama. UNESCO has recognized the old city's cultural and architectural importance and listed Old Town as a World Heritage Site.

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
Historical Churches Tour

Historical Churches Tour

Caught between the lush green mountains and the ocean, the capital of Panama is a concentration of colors and styles. The evidence of Spanish influence is still vivid in the colonial landmarks, especially religious sites.

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