Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo2026 · Date · History · Messages
Panama’s Law 14 of 20 January 1955 recognizes 15 August 1519 as the foundation date of Panama City and declares 15 August each year a holiday for the District of Panama; municipal and heritage sources continue the commemoration.
About Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo
The Fundación de Panamá la Vieja commemoration is held on 15 August, marking the 1519 Spanish foundation of Panama City at the site now known as Panamá Viejo.
Panama’s Law 14 of 1955 declares 15 August each year a holiday for the District of Panama in commemoration of the city’s foundation; it is not described here as a nationwide holiday for all of Panama.
Why Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo matters
The anniversary is part of Panama City’s civic and historical calendar, but the 1519 foundation should not erase the people and settlements that existed in the region before Spanish colonization.
Municipal and heritage interpretation can therefore discuss both the colonial city and the longer Indigenous/precolonial history of the site and isthmus.
History of Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo
The Spanish city was founded on 15 August 1519.
Law 14 of 20 January 1955 formally treats 15 August 1519 as the foundation date and declares 15 August each year a holiday for the District of Panama.
Municipal cultural programming continues to commemorate Panamá Viejo and the anniversary.
Heritage material also recognizes evidence of earlier inhabitants, so the civic foundation date is not framed as the start of human presence in the area.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
National Assembly of Panama
Law 14 of 20 January 1955
Municipality of Panama and Panamá Viejo heritage institutions
Municipal cultural and heritage sources document continuing anniversary programming and interpretation.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
Foundation of Old Panama City
How to Observe Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo
Visit or study Panamá Viejo using current heritage guidance and respect archaeological-site rules.
When writing about 1519, distinguish the Spanish colonial foundation from earlier Indigenous presence and settlement.
Keep the holiday’s jurisdiction precise: the reviewed law names the District of Panama, not the entire country.
For work or business closures, check the rule that applies to the specific employer and jurisdiction; the reviewed district holiday is not generalized into a universal private-sector or nationwide closure rule.
Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo Facts
The commemorated foundation date is 15 August 1519.
Law 14 was dated 20 January 1955.
The law declares 15 August each year a holiday for the District of Panama.
Panamá Viejo is a heritage site with history extending beyond the 1519 colonial foundation milestone.
Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo Messages
Remembering Panama City’s long history means looking at both the 1519 colonial milestone and the people who were present before it.
May the day encourage careful learning about Panamá Viejo’s archaeology, heritage and layered history.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Procuraduría de la Administración de Panamá — Infojurídica, Law 14 of 1955
Municipality of Panama — current cultural commemoration
Patronato Panamá Viejo — heritage stewardship
Municipality of Panama Culture — Panamá Viejo anniversary (opens in a new tab)
Municipal Cultural
Municipality of Panama — foundation history (opens in a new tab)
Municipal Government
Panama Procuraduría — Infojurídica, Law 14 of 1955 (opens in a new tab)
Official Legal Database
Patronato Panamá Viejo — archaeological/heritage context (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo?
15 August annually The documented recurrence rule is: 15 August.
Does Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Panama City historical and local-holiday context. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo?
The reviewed sources identify National Assembly of Panama as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Municipality of Panama and Panamá Viejo heritage institutions.
Is Fundación de Panamá la Vieja / Foundation of Panama Viejo international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Panama City historical and local-holiday context. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-25.
When is the Panama Viejo foundation commemoration?
It is observed on 15 August.
What does Law 14 of 1955 say?
It treats 15 August 1519 as the foundation date of Panama City and declares 15 August each year a holiday for the District of Panama.
Is it a nationwide public holiday?
The reviewed law specifically applies the holiday to the District of Panama; this guide does not generalize it to the entire country.
Does 1519 mark the first human presence at the site?
No. Heritage and municipal interpretation recognizes earlier Indigenous/precolonial presence; 1519 is the Spanish colonial city-foundation milestone.
Other observances on August 15
These observances are also listed on August 15, 2027.
Asunción de la Virgen
Spain’s national labor-holiday regulation lists 15 August as Asunción de la Virgen within the national holiday framework.
Founding anniversary of Asunción
Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies and the Municipality of Asunción mark 15 August as the city’s founding anniversary and identify 1537 as the founding year.
Independence Day
Republic of the Congo laws directly list August 15 as the national holiday, including Law No. 19-2010, which adopts August 15 of every year in commemoration of the proclamation of independe…
Independence Day
The Indian Independence Act 1947 establishes the August 15, 1947 constitutional transition, while current Government of India sources independently verify annual August 15 Independence Day…
National Acadian Day
Government of Canada / Canadian Heritage; celebrated since 1881 and recognized in federal law in 2003
National Check the Chip Day
AAHA states that it and AVMA launched Check the Chip Day in 2013; AVMA and AAHA materials identify August 15 as the annual recurrence and focus on current microchip registry contact informa…