Day 309 of 365 Things To Do in Panama.
Day 309 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Continue celebrating with Dia de Colon!
photo: LaPrensa
November is Independence Month and filled with celebrations and public holidays. Today is Colon Day or "Dia de Colon." This day is commemorated in connection with the liberation of the city and port of Colon, a strategic location on the Caribbean Sea. Despite declaring independence from Colombia a couple of day earlier the struggle wasn't finished. This day salutes the final battle, when Panamanians in Colon stood their ground and averted a march on Panama City by the Colombian Army, confirming success of Panama’s separation from Colombia.
Today, this holiday is celebrated in place of Colombus Day in Panama.
He is not the founder of the city, he only visited Navy Bay, encircling the island where the city of Colon is located. The city was founded as a result of the California gold rush, and the gold diggers named it Colon in honor of Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón).