Taboga Island
Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / height missing
(Also called " island of flowers " ) is a Nestling on Taboga Island Panama in the Pacific Ocean. The island is located about 20 miles from Panama City. It is 5.6 km ² and has 722 inhabitants (as of 2000). The island is accessible by boat. Half of the island belongs to the wildlife reserve " Refugio de Vida Silvestre Islas Taboga y Urabá ." On Taboga there are a variety of birds. From January to June, you can see pelicans and whales from August to October.
History
The island is one of the many historical attractions of Panama. In the 16th century, Vasco Nunez de Balboa became the first Spaniard the island and named it Isla de San Pedro. The name Taboga got the island later. This derives from the indigenous word Aboga from which " plenty of fish " means.
The village of San Pedro was founded in 1524 by Padre Hernando de Luque, the provost of Panama. The village built on around the same church Iglesia San Pedro, which is considered the second oldest of the northern hemisphere. It was Padre Hernando de Luque, of Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro el Viejo blessed before they left to conquer Peru.
In the 17th century, the island became a popular hideout for pirates. After the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671 had destroyed Panamá la Vieja, he sent his pirate towards Taboga with the command to rob the island and burn down afterwards. 1998 1000 silver coins were found during the construction of a new hospital, which has been dated to the 17th century.
In the 19th century the island was an important strategic point for navigation. So Taboga was used as a port of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, which installed a shipyard for boats there. The company brought together hundreds Irish on the island, who worked in the shipyard. Even today, you can survey the grave stones with the Anglo-Saxon name. In addition, the island played an important role in the construction of the Panama Canal.
1887 spent the Impressionist Paul Gauguin en route to Martinique and Tahiti for some time on the island.
During the Second World War, the island was used by the U.S. military as a training base. In order to keep the armed forces in a good mood, the military brought entertainment technology such as cinemas. The infrastructure was built and laid the foundation for today's existing tourism.
Attractions
On the island there are the church built in 1550 San Pedro, between the beaches of Playa La Restinga and Playa Honda and the house of Francisco Pizarro, the conqueror of Peru.
Tourism
The Flower Island is a popular destination for locals and tourists nowadays. The majority of the approximately 45 -minute sailing to Isla Taboga depart from the Calzada de Amador.
Swell
- Jisel Perilla: Frommers Panama. 3rd edition. 2010, ISBN 978-0-470-89073-8.
- Sarah Woods: Panama; Bradt Travel Guides. 1st edition. 2005, ISBN 1-84162-117- X.