In 1511, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa arrives in the Darien region and discovers the South Sea in 1513. Six years later, in 1519, folowing conflicts of opinion he had with the governor of the time Pedro Arias de Avila , called Pedrarías, Vasco de Nuñez was beheaded in the village of Acla . The exploration of the Pacific helped discovering a safe and sound place: Panama .

With the foundation of the first city on the Pacific coast, the Spanish crossed the Isthmus through the Camino Real in 1519, and later on in 1533 following river Chagres and Camino de Cruces enabling to transport the wealth found in South America. The pirates proliferation, filibusters and other privateers led to the edification of fortifications on the Caribbean Coast : Portobelo and San Lorenzo.

In 1671, pirate Henry Morgan attacked Panama City (ruins of Panama la Vieja ), compelling Governor Don Guzman to set blaze to it and forcing the population to run away. It took shelter on the flanks of Cerro Ancón where the new town was created on January 21 st, 1673 ( Casco Viejo or Antiguo ). The main aspect that was taken into account in order to establish the new town was the defensive one so as to prevent further attacks from pirates.

All along the 18th century, the city will change appearance: Italian and French style constructions are erected amongst the old colonial buildings thus transforming the town into a cosmopolitan city. Numerous civil wars lead Panama to proclaim its independence on November 28th, 1821. The country was then part of Great Colombia (currently Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia).

THE SAGA OF THE CANAL OF PANAMA : On the 19th century, many expeditions took place in order to study the feasibility of a transoceanic way. On the French side let's mention the expedition of Lucien Bonaparte Wyse and of geographer Armand Reclus. In 1855, the town experienced a huge commercial boom due to the discovery of gold mines in California thus generating the construction of the Transisthmus Railways: Le Panama Canal Railway.

The endeavor, referred to in the history books as the « scandal of Panama  » started in 1875 with Count Ferdinand de Lesseps , brilliant constructor of the Canal of Suez. The French Universal Company could not fight the tropical diseases nor the financial scandals. In 1889, French thus step aside for United States people who completed the navigable way by 1914 and in the same manner supported the separation of Panama from Colombia on November 3 rd, 1903.