What Happened
Panama’s coastline was a major target during the age of piracy, when raiders struck both the Caribbean and Pacific sides of the isthmus. One of the best-known attacks came in 1671, when Henry Morgan attacked Panama City from the Caribbean and crossed inland before the city was destroyed by fire.
The old capital, now known as Panama Viejo, remains one of the most important reminders of that period. Along the Caribbean coast, the Portobelo fortresses also stand as historic evidence of the struggle to defend valuable trade routes and colonial settlements.
Why These Places Mattered
Panama City was a key Pacific port, giving pirates and privateers a strategic prize in the region. Control of the city and the surrounding routes meant access to commerce moving between the Atlantic and Pacific worlds. That made Panama a repeated target in an era when maritime power and trade wealth drew armed attacks across the Caribbean.
Portobelo, on the Caribbean side, was another critical point because of its fortifications and role in regional trade. Together with Panama Viejo, it reflects how the isthmus sat at the center of Spanish colonial commerce and defense efforts.
Historic Legacy
The ruins of Panama Viejo and the fortresses of Portobelo continue to mark the country’s history of conflict, trade, and resilience. These sites show how piracy shaped the development of settlements along Panama’s coasts and how the geography of the isthmus made it both a commercial crossroads and a military target.
For Panama, the legacy of pirate raids is tied not only to destruction but also to the preservation of historic landmarks that still tell the story of the country’s colonial past. The remains of these sites are among the clearest physical links to that turbulent period.