National Theatre

Panama's grand national theatre, opened in 1908, with a painted ceiling by Roberto Lewis.

The Teatro Nacional opened in 1908, just a few years after independence, as a statement of the young republic's ambitions. Behind its neoclassical façade is an intimate horseshoe-shaped auditorium.

The ceiling and foyer are decorated with paintings by the Panamanian artist Roberto Lewis. The theatre still hosts concerts, ballet and plays.

Location

Open in OpenStreetMap ↗

Other sights nearby

Plaza Bolívar

A leafy square honouring Simón Bolívar, next to the palace where he convened the 1826 Congress of Panama.

Arco Chato (Santo Domingo ruins)

The ruins of a colonial convent and its famous flat arch, which played a part in the canal's history.

Panama Canal Museum

The story of the canal, from the failed French attempt to the 1999 handover, on the main square.