Photo of the Week

     Tragedy struck Panama on Friday night when the historical Arco Chato (Flat Arch) of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo collapsed! The church was built in the year 1678 during the establishment of the "new" Panama City.
     It has been said that tourist traffic has increased in the Casco Viejo area of the city tremendously recently. The large tourist busses actually shake the ground while commuting up and down the old streets where the Iglesia de Santo Domingo stands. It has also been said that the Centennial celebrations held in the area were quite loud with marching bands and a large fireworks display. The noise could have triggered the collapse. This is truly a sad event for the people of Panama and those of us who love Panama.
     I have put together a mini presentation of photos showing the old church and flat arch throughout that past 100 years. I hope this presentation will help keep the memory of this famous arch alive for a while longer. (Click Here)