If the doors could talk – Casco Viejo, Panama

Casco Viejo Panama (also called Casco Antiguo – Old Quarter in Spanish) is full of history. Some of its doors, windows and walls are as old as 300 years – They all have some interesting stories to tell, which I hope will not disappear too soon.

This archaic colonial building with its old doors and balconies attracted my view, and I couldn’t stop wondering: “what if the doors could talk – what story would they tell?“….
Once somebody’s home, I could easily assume that these doors have seen much better days.

The green wooden shades where certainly once beautiful. You can also notice the balconies with wrought iron railings… And hey, there was still a living plant growing on one of them – hmm, weird! * Note the three different methods for securing the doors at the bottom… I’m wondering what they are hiding inside those dingy enigmatic spaces.

I made this picture as a painting for a more vibrant look.

 A little History

• Built on a peninsula, the district was founded in 1673 with the purpose of defending Panama City from pirates attacks and repress the enemies.
• This historic district of Panama City, a gem of art and culture, has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Panama and especially its capital are full of history. One of the buildings dating to the 17th century is the convent of Santo Domingo with it’s “Flat Arch” (Arco Chato). – Today it’s under restoration.

Another beautiful building dating in the 17’th century is the Iglesia San Francisco de Asis in Plaza Bolivar, restored after two fires:

More Doors in Casco Viejo, Panama

I love to see and take photos of doors and windows, and this is what I did in Casco Viejo Panama too.

As I was walking on the streets of this old city looking left and right, I kept thinking the same thing: What if the doors could talk…

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… But some people are people still living on some of these rather crappy buildings with broken walls and dingy spaces. They’re waiting patiently for the day of restoration.

Casco Viejo restoration

More and more old buildings have been renovated into nice clean even luxurious apartment buildings and hotels.

The process continues, without destroying the original character of the construction. Hopefully the history behind these antique walls will not completely disappear.

I uploaded some of these pictures from Casco Viejo in my Panama gallery at Fine Art America and they are available as art prints. Check them out!

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Lens-Artists Challenge #20 – Open Sesame: Doors and Doorways | Weekly Challenge: Photograph When One Door Closes….