Casa de los Monogramas

The Casa de los Monogramas, one of the oldest houses in Panamá, was built in 1743 at the latest estimate; this was the year it first housed a monastery. Subsequent inhabitants include the Viceroy Juan de Sámano in 1820-1821 and, following a restoration project in the 1990s, it now houses the headquarters of the Fondo de Inversión Social or Social Investment Fund (FIS). The story of its purpose might be as dull as the story behind its name—the edifice is called the Monogram House because of the monograms sculpted around the entrance—but the place has seen moments of excitement, such as the 1998 inauguration for FIS with the president attending. Across from the Plazuela de la Puerta del Mar and just down the street from the Palacio Presidential, the pumpkin orange building with beautiful wooden balconies and doors is certainly worth checking out on a historical walking tour through Casco Viejo.