Built between 1619 and 1626, this cathedral is the best-preserved building of the Panamá Viejo ruins. In traditional fashion, it was designed so that its two side chapels gave the cathedral a cross-like shape when viewed from the heavens. The bell tower at the back of the church may have served double duty as a watchtower for the Casas Reales. The main facade, which faced the Plaza Mayor, is gone; only the walls remain.