Iglesia San Francisco

Built in the late 17th century, the San Francisco Church of Casco Viejo was the first Franciscan church in Panama, and probably remains one of the most frequently remodeled. It was destroyed by fires and subsequently rebuilt in both 1737 and 1756, and at times served as a monastery. Beginning in 1918, it was remodeled by Leonardo Villanueva Meyer in the style of European eclecticism, and less drastic restorations took place in both 1761 and 1998. Across from the Plaza Bolívar, the smooth cream-colored exterior rises into a belltower and spires accented in white and roofed with terracotta tiles.