La Villa de Los Santos

La villa de Los Santos, "The Heroic City."

Corpus Christi en La Villa de Los Santos | La Prensa Panama

Are you finding a place to relive Panamanian history and have fun? La Villa de Los Santos is the right place. Enjoys this significant place in the history of Panama and a culturally important place in Azuero where you can have fun with their allegorical festivities.

La Villa de Los Santos also known La Heroica Villa de Los Santos, is a township of the Panamanian district of Los Santos, in the province of Los Santos. It is at the left edge of the La Villa River. Founded as Santa Cruz in 1555 by Juan Rodriguez Monjaraz who was the first governor of the region. The city is known for The Gesture of Rufina Alfaro and the population's efforts in the movement to separate Panama from Spanish power in November 1821.

History

 

La Villa De Los Santos enjoys a significant place in the history of Panama because around 11000 years ago it was home to the oldest Panamanian civilization. The place, due to its immense contribution to the Panamanian freedom struggle, holds a very special spot in the hearts of the people. It was about 500 years ago when the Spanish invaders arrived on the scene. On 10th November 1821, the ‘First cry of Independence’ against Spanish domination took place here. The locals wrote a letter to the people in power, asking them for assistance in dislodging the Spanish invaders. 18 days later on the 28th of November, 1821, the country officially declared its independence from Spain. 

La Villa de Los Santos has a number of interesting attractions. Some of them are:

Iglesia San Atanasio 

This scintillating Church of San Atanasio was founded in 1569. The church, located in the center of the city has a baroque altar, with a lot of beautifully carved and gilded wood depicting cherubs, saints, plants, and flowers. The church keeps images and paintings of the colonial era, including the image of the Holy Trinity in the main cave and a canvas of the Last Judgement. The place’s national importance is reflected by the fact that it was declared a National Heritage Site in 1938.

Museo de la Nacionalidad

The National Museum of Villa de Los Santos, inaugurated in 1974, is the place where Panama’s declaration of independence was signed in 1821. The museum, though dominated by artifacts and crafts related to the city’s struggle for independence, also includes Pre-Columbian Ceramics and art from the Colonial era. The outbuilding of the museum houses a lovely garden and a restored traditional kitchen.  Over the years, this beautiful brick and tile structure has also served as a jail, a school, and a government office. 

 

Festivals and Events

It is the yearly festivities and event celebrations that attract most of the tourists to La Villa de Los Santos. Many festivals and events are celebrated in the city throughout the year. The most famous occasions include:

El Grito de la Villa

El Grito de la Villa or the ‘Cry of the Village’ day is celebrated on the 10th of November every year. The day marks the historic first cry of independence that took place in the village against the Spanish Domination in the year 1821. This Patriotic occasion is overseen by the President of Panama, highlighted by a parade followed by enthralling music and dance performances and a significant amount of drinking on the streets of the city.

Feria Internacional de Azuero

The festival called the ‘Azuero International Fair’ in English is an agriculture-based fair organized in late April every year. Here, exhibitors are given an opportunity to present and disseminate products and services focused on agriculture, industries, and cultural sectors, promoting the Azuero region. The five-day event also features folkloric dancing and competition among local singers singing regional songs.

Fiesta de Corpus Christi

It is Los Santos’ biggest festival, celebrated around four days. It is celebrated 40 days after Easter in May or June. It is a catholic festival dating from the 1200s which celebrates the ‘Eucharist’ which is the part about the body and blood of Christ. It is celebrated all over the world on a changing date that falls between the end of May and early June.

Carnival 

The carnival of the Panama region is called the King Momo festivities, they are celebrated for four consecutive days, prior to Ash Wednesday, ending Tuesday night. They have a characteristic that highlights them with the cities in this time of festivities and that is that they start the carnivals in the morning with the “mojaderas” or “culecos” that are carried out in public or private squares with tank trucks that spray river water during the day and part of the afternoon accompanied by popular music. Already at night is when the parades and stops begin with queens wearing carnival-like costumes aboard floats accompanied by troupes and tunas. At the same time that it is celebrated on the street, there are also dance festivals in mobile discos, squares and avenues.

Places to Stay and Eat

There are many options available in La Villa de Los Santos; nevertheless, in Chitre, around 4 km north of Los Santos there are more options, so you don’t need to feel panic. Just relax and check out some of the best options to stay there.

La Saloma Hostal

La Saloma Guesthouse is a hostel that offers a traditional atmosphere of La Villa de Los Santos. The hostel is located perfectly, with all the important cultural destinations near to it. The colorful guesthouse includes a dozen rooms with five of them being in a building from the 1870s and the rest in a newer addition in the back courtyard.

   

Hotel la Villa

It is another important hotel in la villa. The resort-like structure houses rooms of various shapes and sizes possessing a folkloric theme and incorporating artifacts from the Los Santos festivals. It also features an attached bar and a restaurant serving traditional Panamian cuisines.

Paradise Resort

It is an eco-friendly and a customer-friendly hotel with a bright-yellow structure making good with 22 deluxe motel-style rooms. It has a swimming pool for the guests whose water is recycled and used for plant watering. Its large solar panels are the main source of its electricity. An on-site restaurant serves delicious juices, burgers, and seafood.

Hotel Restaurante Kevin

This newly renovated luxury hotel is located near the national road. The hotel offers 20 nearly identical coral-colored rooms. The rooms offer private hot-water bathrooms and a satellite TV for a few dollars extra. The owner’s swimming pool located behind the hotel is accessible to the guests. This hotel has an amazing restaurant where you can enjoy several types of food. 

La Villa de Los Santos and its humble people are waiting for your visit. #Visitlavilladelosantos