San José is Latin America’s youngest capital, and Central America’s most cosmopolitan city. It serves as the capital of Costa Rica since 1823. The city is a necessary stopover to get to other parts of the country. San José contains a natural beauty with its surrounding cloud forests, green mountains, and lush valleys. It exudes a quaint mix of old Europe and hip modern culture. Most of San José’s architecture is European-influenced which could be seen predominantly in its architecture. San José may be a small city, but in its small size lies its charm for it is home to a friendly, happy, and warm bunch of people who know how to live life passionately and actively pursue happiness.
The city’s architecture combines modern and traditional Spanish. It’s got several parks, flower gardens, wide avenues and narrow streets. One of the most outstanding old buildings is the National Theater that was almost a replica of the Opera House in Paris, as well as the former fortress that has been turned in the National Museum.
Geographically, the city of San José lies on latitude 9° 56’ north and longitude 84° 5’ west. The city occupies a total area of 44.62 square kilometers or 17.23 square miles of flat land with some low undulations. The fertile land is surrounded by mountains and volcanoes and irrigated by nearby streams. The city sits at a higher elevation of 3,840 feet or 1,170 meters above sea level. The canton of San José is bounded by a few cantons in the province of Heredia and the towns of Goicoechea, Tibás, Curridabat East, Escazú, Alajuelita, Desamparados and Montes de Oca.
San José is small compared to other capital cities in Latin America. It had a population of only 354,409 in 2009. The metropolitan area itself occupies a wider area and accounts for a third of the entire Costa Rican population. San José is ethnically diverse. Majority of the population are Mestizos and Whites with Spanish ancestry, followed by three minority groups, Blacks, Amerindians, and Asians. The official language of San José is Spanish. English is the first foreign language spoken and mostly taught in the city. Majority of Josefinos are able speak English, but language translation and interpretation services are still in demand in the city. Roman Catholic is the most practiced religion in the San José.
San José is located in a tropical rainforest situated in the Torrid Zone. It’s blessed with a tropical dry and wet climate, bordering on a subtropical highland climate. Generally, the city enjoys a mild, temperate, windy climate due to its high elevation. May to mid-November is the rainy season, while the latter half of November to April is the dry season. Rain falls on an average of 170 days in a year, and might even occur during the dry months. San José gets an average of 2,040 hours of sunshine in a year. The average daily temperature tends to be between 21 °C and 23 °C or between 69.8 °F to 73.4 °F. The average high temperature ranges from 26 °C to 28.4 °C or around 78.8 °F to 83.1 °F), while the average low temperature ranges from 17.8 °C to 19 °C, which fall somewhere between 64 °F and 66.2 °F. Daily humidity ranges from 60% to 90%. Humidity drops near mid-day and rises again at night. Nights are chilly at times.
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Aside from being the capital of Costa Rica, San José is also the seat of the national government, and the economic, political, and transportation hub of Costa Rica. As the hub of the country, it is home to the University of Costa Rica (Universidad de Costa Rica), the main airport, foreign embassies, museums, hotels, cultural venues and a lot more.
San José is relatively safe for tourists. Unfortunately, there are still a few pickpockets and purse slashers lurking around public transportation stations, on crowded and deserted streets, in the markets, near banks and ATMs. To be on the safe side, do not bring a huge amount of cash or wear flashy jewelry whenever you go out. It is safer to leave your valuables inside the hotel safe. Put your on-hand cash in a money belt that you could wear around your waist, or a special passport case you could hang around your neck. Never leave valuables in a car even if it’s parked in a guarded parking space. Avoid late-night strolls around corner vendors, in parks, and deserted or dimly lit streets.
History of San José
In 1736, a colonial settlement was established in a broad, fertile valley in Costa Rica, which is part of present-day San José. It was named Villanueva de la Boca del Monte del Valle de Abra, also called New Village of the Mountain’s Mouth in the Open Valley or La Boca del Monte for short. In 1738, the Cabildo de León, a Spanish colonial administrative council that governed municipalities, founded the city of San José. Their aim was to gather all the scattered inhabitants of the Aserrí Valley under one territory for easy governance. To start their plan, a chapel was built near the area of La Boca del Monte. Based on an edict from the Catholic Church, the population of a colony must settle near a place of worship. When the church was completed two years later, St. Joseph of Nazareth, or San José in Spanish, was chosen as the patron of the parish, hence the name of the city. At first, population in the area grew very slowly, mainly due to difficulties in getting clean and running water supply. Better urban planning was undertaken eventually, and was further aided by the development of the Tobacco Factory of Costa Rica.
San José was not initially considered a city or town at all. It even lacked a city government. Its foundation and establishment was different from the protocol used by those of earlier established Spanish colonial cities and towns in Latin America. It was only in 1812 when San José formed its first city government. The following year, it was formally awarded a city status by the Spanish parliament, only to lose it the next year, when the court proceedings were annulled by Ferdinand VII of Spain. At the same time, Spain also abandoned its colonial territories in Central America. The country gained independence from Spain in 1821.
For most of its colonial history, San José was overshadowed by its more developed neighboring city, Cartago (Carthage). The forces of San José secretly prepared to challenge Cartago, and defeated the latter’s forces at the Battle of Ochomongo on April 5, 1823. On May 16, 1823, San José established itself as the capital of Costa Rica, one of the youngest-established capitals in Latin America. However, Cartago bitterly refused to give up the title. It joined forces with the neighboring towns of Alajuela and Heredia, and attempted to capture San José on September 26, 1835. Their plans proved unsuccessful because the forces of San José defeated them and the city maintains its capital status to this day.
For the majority of the 20th century, San José was mostly an agricultural city. Population in the city started growing steadily starting from the baby-boom years of the post-war era until the 1980s. During this span of time, increased urban migration shaped and transformed the city. In the case of San José, increased population led to explosive growth, unregulated development, and terrible architectural preservation. The city also received a huge influx of refugees fleeing from civil wars and dictatorial regimes in their home countries, particularly those from Argentina and Chile during the 1970s to 1980s. In recent years, there has been increased migration into the city by Ticos (Costa Ricans) from other parts of the country, and by those from the neighboring countries of Colombia, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Today, San José is a bustling, modern, city and is one of the most cosmopolitan in Central America. Its tourism industry is healthy and its art and architecture are progressive while its economy is enjoying brisk performance.
Demographics of San José
The multiethnic city of San José has a population of 354,409 as of 2009. Majority of the population are Whites and Mestizos, followed by minority groups comprising Blacks, Amerindians and Asians at less than 5%. Josefinos and Josefinas, the demonym for the inhabitants of the city primarily have Spanish ancestry, where more than 50% are whites and less than 15% are mestizos or people of mixed Spanish and indigenous race. Ancestors of the Black minority group came from Jamaica during the late 19th century to work in banana plantations and railroads in Costa Rica. The Amerindians keep mostly to themselves in isolated communities and live in the highlands or along the coasts. Majority of them still follow the traditional lifestyle of their ancestors. Asians in the city are mostly Chinese.
Spanish is the official language used in the city. Almost everyone speak it except for some Blacks who speak a traditional Jamaican dialect of English Creole and broken English, and Amerindians that speak the language of their specific ethnic group. While the indigenous peoples still exist in the city, they are now considered a minority and their languages are slowly disappearing. In the remote areas where they stay, you could still hear them speak Bribri, Boruca, Cebécar, Guaymi and Maleku. A majority of the population conversant in Basic English because it is the first foreign language and second most taught language in the country. Aside from English, other languages most taught in the city are French, German, Italian and Chinese.
The city practices religious freedom. Majority of Josefinos are Roman Catholics, at a little over 75%. The rest are members of Protestant and other Christian groups, practice other religions, or don’t subscribe to any religious affiliation. Other religious denominations in the city are Baha’i Faith, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jehovah’s Witness, Judaism, and Taoism.
Economy of San José
The land that San José occupies is fertile and conducive to growing tobacco and coffee. During colonial times, San José was developed primarily as a tobacco center in Costa Rica. In the 1840s, focus was centered on coffee production, which became the whole country’s biggest source of income until the nineteenth century. Coffee was produced on a massive scale for export, and many plantation owners built their fortunes on the “golden bean.”
San José was primarily an agricultural industry for the most part of the 20th century. It rose steadily to become the economic and transportation hub of Costa Rica. The city is the center of the Caribbean and Pacific railroads, the center of the highway system, and a necessary stop for international flights.
In recent decades, there has been an influx of migrants from other parts of Costa Rica and also from nearby countries like Colombia, Nicaragua, and Panama. San José has its share of problems stemming from increased, unchecked migration. Some Josefinos blame these migrants for causing degradation to their city. While inevitable booming capitalism has brought many comforts to San José, it has also left many residents disenfranchised. Along with modern development, the city also struggles to keep crime, violence, and social unrest in check, which mostly comes from the outlying tugurios or slums.
Today, San José’s economy is dependent on the tourism and manufacturing industry. Top products sent for export are bananas, coffee, ornamental flowers, pineapples, and tobacco. Others include construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products, and textile and clothing.
The official currency used in San José and the rest of Costa Rica is the Colon.
Attractions in San José
Though San José is a small city with few natural and historical landmarks, there are plenty of museums worth visiting in the city.
Museo de Oro Precolombino, or The Gold Museum, is an underground museum located below Plaza de la Cultura. It houses a collection of over 1,600 pieces of pre-Columbian gold items dating as far back as 500 to 1500 AD. From the exhibit, you would be given information on the process used in making the gold pieces during the Pre-Columbian era as well as the cultural, religious, and social meanings attached to them. At the same building you will also find the Temporary Exhibition Galleries, the Numismatic Museum, a museum shop, and a tourist office.
Museo de Jade Marco Fidel Tristán, or The Jade Museum, is located in the Instituto Nacional de Seguros. It houses the biggest collection of pre-Columbian jade in the Americas, with items collected from 500 BC to 800 AD. Large pendants that were once part of necklaces are on display, most of them carved in animal and human figures. Part of the showcase features the steps taken by pre-Columbian artisans to carve the hard stone. The exhibit also contains other pre-Columbian artifacts made from bones, ceramics, shells, stones and other materials. Some of these terra cotta bowls show modern designs and advanced techniques in pottery making. If you want to learn more about daily life during the pre-Columbian era, this is the best museum to visit. The explanations are given in both English and Spanish.
Museo Nacional de Costa Rica is located in Cuartel Bellavista, an old fortress built in 1917. You could still see some bullets lodged on its exterior walls. In this location, the army was abolished on December 1, 1948, by President José Figueres Ferrer. The fort houses a huge butterfly garden, a collection of huge stone spheres called metates taken from the Diquis Valley, a pre-Columbian artifacts exhibit, as well as artifacts from the country’s colonial, geological, archeological, modern and religious history. The museum also has a gold room. There is a room that exhibits the barracks and the rooms that the army general and his family used during their time.
At the complex of the Centro Costarricense de la Ciencia y la Cultura is the Museo de los Niños, or the Children’s Museum, an educational museum designed solely for children. Located in 39 rooms in the complex, the children’s museum has several interactive displays for children, touching on different subjects as astronomy, ecology, natural planet, human life, communications and science.
Museo de Arte Costarricense is an art museum located at the east end of Sabana Park. Back when La Sabana used to be the airport, this place was the main airport terminal of San José. It displays a collection of works by Costa Rica’s artists in all media, showcasing different styles in the prints, sculptures and paintings on permanent exhibit. The sculpture garden of the museum houses works by prominent Costa Rican artists such as Francisco Zuñiga, Max Jiménez, Max Zuñiga, José Sancho and Jorge Jiménez Deredia.
The Insect Museum is located in the University of Costa Rica campus grounds. It was conceived as a teaching and research facility that is now used by the national and international communities. It houses a unique and huge collection of exotic bugs and insects, ranging from dragonflies, bugs, cicadas, beetles, flies, ants, wasps and bees.
Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo is located in the CENAC building. It is the main museum dedicated to Costa Rican contemporary art and design, housed in 1,200 square meters of space. Its collection includes about 900 art pieces created by established and young artists of Costa Rica. The Pila de la Melaza is an open-air auditorium for performances and outdoor events.
On Avenue 11 of Barrio Amón is the Simón Bolívar National Zoo and Botanical Garden also know as the Parque Zoológico y Jardín Botánico Nacional Simón Bolívar. It was initially conceived as a shelter for endangered species and a research facility. It is home to some big cats and an interesting serpentarium housing many dangerous snakes. White-faced monkeys, various large birds, crocodiles, rodents and marsupials are part of the menagerie from Africa, Asia and Costa Rica.
La Paz Waterfall Gardens is accessible an hour away from San José. It is a rainforest containing five breathtaking waterfalls and scenic trails. One of these is the Bridal Veil Waterfall, one of Costa Rica’s tallest waterfalls at 100 feet. The place also has its own butterfly observatory, serpentarium, frog exhibit, and hummingbird gallery. Wildlife and nature enthusiasts would surely enjoy and appreciate this enchanting place. There’s an exhibit of friendly toucans and there are plenty of opportunities to take photographs of Red Macaws and white-faced monkeys or take a good look at the frog terrarium where hourglass tree frogs, flying leap frogs and the small poisonous dart frogs are housed. You might even want to try your hand at fishing for trout at the park.
In 1917, Charles Lankester West, a British orchid enthusiast established the Lankester Botanical Gardens. The plants were donated to the University of Costa Rica by his family in 1973. The Stanley Smith Foundation of the U.K. and the American Orchid Society purchased the land and donated it to the university, as well. The aim is for the university to continue the research as well as allow the public to enjoy the gardens. There are over one thousand varieties of orchids that you could see blooming in the gardens. Some of these are difficult to find even if you comb a tropical rainforest, as they are usually high up on the treetops and hidden under foliage. There are various cacti species as well as bamboos, bromeliads, palms, conifers and heliconias, too. Hummingbirds and various insects looking for sweet nectar are frequent visitors to the garden.
One of the finest historic buildings in San José is the National Theater. It is a magnificent building built from the taxes levied on coffee exports. It was inaugurated in 1897 with the performance of Faust, composed by Johann Wolfgang von Geothe. It is here where the National Symphonic Orchestra performs regularly. A statue of Ludwig van Beethoven and as well as that of Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Spain’s foremost playwright and dramatist are placed in front of the theater while the mural called Allegory of Coffee and Bananas, created by Aleardo Villa from Milan graces the interior of the theater. This particular painting is depicted at the back of the five colón bill of the country.
To see the rugged beauty of the surrounding districts from San José and the rich biodiversity of Costa Rica, numerous parks are only one and a half hours away from the city. Some are about 20 to 50 kilometers away from the city center, such as the Braulio Carillo, Irazú, Juan Castro Blanco, Poas Volcano and Tapanti national parks.
You should not leave San José without going on one of the numerous coffee plantation tours. At the Café Britt tour, you not only get to tour the coffee plantation, you also get to visit the coffee roasting section and learn the art of coffee tasting done professionally. If you want to learn how coffee is grown, harvested, processed and turned into award-winning blends, join the coffee tour of the Doka Coffee plantation.
San José Culture
San José, as well as most parts of Costa Rica, is heavily influenced by Spanish culture. To experience and learn more about local San José culture, you could take Barrio Bird Walking Tours. These tours are centered on downtown San José; covering many aspects of the city including architecture, art, culture, cuisine, history, and typical daily life in San José. Depending on your preference and interests, other local tours might include hiking, whitewater rafting, trips to Irazú and Poas volcanoes, or visits to a butterfly farm and coffee farm.
Downtown San José is quite small, very busy, and crowded. There’s congestion, heavy traffic, and noise, so travelling by foot is the best option when exploring the city. Street life is very much alive in San José. Every Thursday, you’ll see jugglers performing their artistic talents to the tune of percussion music at Parque Morazan. The park hosts free events for the public from time to time. Yoga is a popular activity in the city. Near Parque Morazan is Downtown Yoga, a yoga center offering affordable hooping and yoga classes for all levels of students.
Although English is also spoken and taught in the city, locals appreciate it more when tourists and foreign visitors attempt to speak their native language. If you want to learn the Spanish language or improve your Spanish by immersing yourself within a Hispanic culture, San José has many institutions offering Spanish language classes. Some classes include board and lodging under a host family setting. English to Spanish and Spanish to English language translation and interpretation services are available in the city, and quite necessary when you want to have documents translated into the local language.
Costa Rican cuisine is a fusion of Spanish, South American, Caribbean, and American influences. To sample typical Costa Rican fare in San José, a visit to the Mercado Central, located on Avenue Central, is a must. It is San José’s biggest and busiest local food market with many small restaurants and quick-serve counters. Here you could buy freshly cooked seafood like fish, shellfish, and dishes like squid stewed in its own ink, sopa de pescado (fish soup), ceviche (small pieces of raw fish cooked in lime juice), corn-based snacks, unripe mango strips with salt and lime, and helado de sorbetera (special cinnamon ice cream). Don’t forget to sample gallo pinto or black beans and fried rice, which is the national dish; arroz con pollo (chicken with rice), tamales, casado, and olla de carne.
Local culture is presented vividly in the shops and entertainment venues that line Plaza de la Cultura, located at the Central Avenue Promenade, which is a pedestrian-friendly avenue where restaurants, numerous shops, department stores, banks, cafés, street performers, artists markets and local vendors are meant to serve and entertain travelers and locals alike. For a young, hip and modern shopping, dining and entertainment venue, La Antigua Aduana Hall beckons.
Architecture in San José bears European influences with Spanish colonial, French, and English styles. There are still some old adobe structures with tiled roofs around the city. Some elegant mansions, coffee plantations, and farmhouses have survived to this day. These are mostly heritages from a more economically prosperous past.
San José is a city that’s gay friendly. Here, the gay community has a small but vibrant nightlife, and are welcome in most bars. Nightlife is concentrated in El Pueblo, which mimics a Spanish-style village. The city is also a destination for gambling because many hotels offer them.
Interesting Facts about San José
- San José is the most populated city in Costa Rica. It is the country’s economic, political, and transportation hub. San José is the gateway to other parts of Costa Rica.
- Chepe is a nickname of the city. It is the nickname for people or places named José. In standard Spanish the nickname should be Pepe. San José residents are called Josefinos (males) and Josefinas (females). The motto of San José is Ad Meliora, which means “Always towards better things.”
- The city of San José is divided into eleven distritos or districts: Catedral, Zapote, Carmen, San Sebastián, Hatillo, San Francisco de Dos Ríos, Hospital, Uruca, Mata Redonda, Pavas, and Merced. Each district is divided into many neighborhoods or barrios.
- Pura Vida! is a popular saying in San José, as well as anywhere else in Costa Rica. Quite literally, it means “pure life.” When taken into the context of Costa Rican culture, it symbolizes a joy of living and simply being happy. It is very much like in context to the Swahili expression, “Hakuna matata,” which is English translates to “no problem,” or “no worries.” It reflects the casual and relaxed lifestyle of Costa Ricans. Saying it is like exclaiming, “Awesome!” or “Cool!” It is mostly used as a positive greeting or farewell, and as an expression of gratitude or satisfaction.
- San José is a sister city to several cities around the globe. In 2009 it became a sister city to Beijing. Likewise, it is a sister city to Jalisco and Guadalajara of Mexico; Israel’s Kfar Sava; La Paz of Bolivia; Florida’s Miami-Dade Country in the United States; Okayama in Japan; Rio de Janeiro; San José in California, also in the United States; as well as Taipei in the Republic of China.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jos%C3%A9,_Costa_Rica
http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Jos%C3%A9_%28Costa_Rica%29
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/costa-rica/san-jose
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http://www.govisitcostarica.com/region/city.asp?cID=325
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Costa_Rica
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http://pocketcultures.com/2010/01/26/costa-rica-is-%E2%80%9Cpura-vida%E2%80%9D/