Sometimes called the world’s greatest shortcut, the Panama Canal is known as one of the engineering wonders of the world. Even by today’s standards of technology and innovation, it is amazing to watch a ship sailing past a rain forest and through the massive locks. But, when you consider the Canal in the context of its 19th century technology, the achievement of its construction is astounding.
If you are spending time in Panama City, you will easily be able to arrange guided Panama Canal tours through many of the city’s hotels such as the Veneto Panama. These tours allow guests to learn all about the history of the canal and how it continues to be of major importance today.
History of the Panama Canal
The potential of a waterway linking the Atlantic and the Pacific in this region had been considered for four centuries before anyone started to dig the Panama Canal. King Carlos V of Spain ordered a survey of the canal route in 1524 but it was determined that they did not have the tools that would be needed for the job. In 1880, the French started a canal under de Lesseps, the builder of the Suez Canal, but after 20 years of struggle with the vastness of the project, they were forced to give up.
In 1903 the United States signed a treaty in which the contract for a public maritime transportation service across the Isthmus was granted and the following year, the US began to dig. On August 15th, 1914 the US cargo ship Ancon made the first transit through the canal. On October 1, 1979 the process of handing the Canal to the Republic of Panama began, under treaties signed by Panama’s former head of Government the late Brig. Gen Omar Torrijos Herrera and U.S. President Jimmy Carter; the Canal was finally under Panama´s control as the 21st century began.
Tours of the Panama Canal
Most major cruise lines feature a tour of the Panama Canal of some kind. Some carry their passengers the length of the waterway, while others only take passengers for a brief trip. In addition, there are “partial transit” tours, which allow visitors to sail part of the Panama Canal and “full transit” tours, where you travel the length of the canal. However, if sailing aboard a vessel on the canal is not what you had in mind, you can also see the canal on interesting land-based cultural tours.
The Panama Canal has been called The Eighth Wonder of the World and with good reason. It took 250,000 people more than 10 years to build, and it stands as a monument of mankind’s ingenuity and perseverance. The Panama Canal is a unique experience which can’t be reproduced anywhere else in the world. Since 1914, the Panama Canal has been a key aspect of the shipping industry in the Western Hemisphere and, as a result, Panama Canal tourism has continued to rise as more and more travelers are choosing Panama for their vacation.
