Palacio de las Garzas

The Palacio de las Garzas (Presidential Palace o Heron's Palace) is the governmental office and residence of the President of Panama. It receives its name because of herons roaming freely in the courtyard. The herons were first brought to the building in 1922, by the former president Belisario Porras Barahona, at the suggestion of friend and famed Panamanian poet Ricardo Miró.

The Palacio de las Garzas is the seat of the Presidency of the Republic of Panama and one of the most iconic historic buildings in Panama City. Located in the San Felipe district of the city's Old Town, it has served as the residence and office of Panama's presidents since its conversion into a palace in 1875.

Construction of the original building began in 1673, by order of the judge of the Royal Audience of Panama, Luis de Lozada y Quiñónez, following the destruction of Panama Viejo during the sacking by the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. The building was constructed on the new site of the city, in what is now the Old Town, and was initially intended for government functions. Over the centuries, the building served various roles, including as a Customs House and Bookkeeping Office in the 18th century.

In 1756, the building was almost completely destroyed by fire. After its reconstruction, it continued to serve multiple functions over the years, including as a bonded warehouse in 1821 and a boys' teacher training college between 1872 and 1875. During the 19th century, it also housed the Government House and, later, the National Bank of Panama.

In 1875, the building was officially designated the Presidential Palace, serving as the seat of the Presidency of the Republic of Panama. This function was consolidated in the following decades, as the building was adapted to the needs of the Panamanian government.

In 1922, President Belisario Porras Barahona ordered a comprehensive restoration and remodeling of the building to convert it into a modern presidential palace. Under the direction of architect Leonardo Villanueva Meyer, a second and third floors were added, which would serve as the presidential residence, and an Andalusian patio was incorporated on the second level. Key spaces, such as the Yellow Room and the presidential dining room, were also remodeled. The official inauguration of the new Palacio de las Garzas took place on August 3, 1923.

Text adapted from “Palacio de las Garzas” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Palacio de las Garzas ranks #2,768 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #2 of the 5 mapped in Panama. Founded 1673, it is older than 25% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 580 atlas entries founded in the 17th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 1,650 times in the last 60 days, more than 61% of the atlas. 2 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. See how Panama compares in the castle statistics.

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