In the sixteenth century the English built a road that would link the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast across the Isthmus of Panama. The route called the Camino Real and articles used to supply European and American markets for Spain sent precious metals from the Viceroyalty of Peru.
The road was about 80 miles away, 3 feet wide and was built with stones covered with clay to make a surface smooth. The route originally began in the town of Nombre de Dios on the Atlantic coast and ended in the ancient city of Panama in the Pacific. In 1572 and 1573, Sir Francis Drake sacked the population Name of God and the English decided to move the port of Nombre de Dios to Portobelo fortification . In this way tube change the original path as it passes through Boqueron.
The road is heavily used, but the continuing problems during the rainy season lead to the creation of a new route. So in 1569, the Viceroy of Peru, Francisco de Toledo, ordered to build a new road that would have a land part (Panama City to the town crosses) and after some taking advantage of the Chagres River. This route would receive the name of the road crossings.
The importance of freight traffic both ways is evident in the data provided indicate that between 1531 and 1660, all the gold that entered Spain from the New World, 60% crossed the Isthmus of Panama.
Carlos I came to instruct Andagoya Pascual of building a canal through the Chagres River, to which he refused the then Governor of Tierra Firme. " Similarly, Philip II sought the same idea in Nicaragua, which also failed.
Links:
Outdoors: Article on the highway in the Outdoors blog.
A test of all: survival Program Discovery Channel, where the Panama chapter the protagonist must go through the old road. Ruta Quetzal
: chapter devoted to highway.
Sources: Wikipedia, www.bruceruiz.net
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