Isthmus Of Panama - On Historic Routes

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Spanish RoutesCalifornia Gold Rush and the RailroadBuilding the Panama CanalThe Isthmus of Panama in last 100 Years

 

Interactive Map of the Isthmus of Panama

– Map markers have pop-up windows with additional information. – Map controls: buttons for zoom and fullscreen in top left – keyboard zoom with +/- keys as well – Map layers: change between terrain and classic OSM in top right.

(Feel free to click on the map marker. Pop-up windows will open showing pictures and additional information.)

 

Spanish Routes

In 1513, ten years after the first European ships sailed along the Isthmus of Panama, Spanish explorer Vasco Núnez de Balboa put together an expedition to cross the Isthmus. He had heard about the Ocean on the other side of the land bridge and all the gold to be found there.

His party of more than 100 Spaniards were the first Europeans to learn a key feature about the Isthmus of Panama – it is a tropical jungle.The expedition struggled for four weeks with torrential rain, disease and a difficult landscape without any paths. They covered a distance of about 100 km in the south of Panama near today’s border with Colombia before they reached Pacific Ocean.Balboa’s expedition was a success. He found gold, heard rumors about more gold and discovered a new ocean to explore.Without a – literal – way to access the newly discovered ocean, all this however could not be exploited.

Camino Real

The year 1519 is therefore an important milestone: A city on the Pacific Ocean was founded – Panama – and a road was built to link it to the existing port in Nombre de Diós on the Atlantic shore.4,000 natives were forced to work on this track which was about 80 km long, about one meter wide. It was partially covered with stones and river crossings were facilitated with simple log bridges. While this was little more than a jungle path, this Camino Real was the key infrastructure that enabled the Spanish to fully conquer and exploit Central and South America.Since the early strategy of the Spanish was one of plundering, soldiers and weapons went one way across the Isthmus of Panama and all the preciosities that they stole could be carried the other way. There were no large volume goods for which the basic trail was not sufficient.

About ten to fifteen years later the Camino Real was supplemented by the Las Cruces Trail. This jungle trail was about half the length and went from Panama to the settlement of Las Cruces on the Chagres River.For the second half of route across the Isthmus of Panama the Charges River was used. People and goods were transported on simple boats to the Caribbean Sea at San Lorenzo.

Both routes are shown on the map. “1” marks the approximate route of the Camino Real. “2” shows the Las Cruces Trail from Panama to Las Cruces and the remaining part of the Chagres River below the Gatún Dam.