San Jose, capital of Costa Rica, celebrated its 200th Anniversary as a city in the midst of music, photos, and a review of its history since it ceased to be the Villa Nueva de la Boca del Monte of Our Lord San Jose on October 18, 1813.
San Jose has not always been the capital of the Central American country. It won this title in 1838, following a period of instability in the country during which it had temporary capital cities like Cartago, Alajuela, and Heredia.
The party took place in the heart of the capital and included the unveiling of a glass mosaic with the image of the first chapel to be built in the city in 1737, called St. Joseph of Nazareth.
The mosaic is located in what is now Central Avenue in the capital, which is a pedestrian boulevard with hundreds of shops facing the central town from east to west and the daily walk to hundreds of thousands.
In addition, San Jose organized a symposium with prominent local writers and architect and historian, Andrés Fernández, who specializes in the history of this city.
The “Josephites” also enjoyed a parade with music and and masquerades that guided the crowds from Central Avenue to Morazan Park.
The party continued on Friday night with a “Serenade in the Rain” in the Temple of Music, organized by civil society groups engaged in organizing cultural activities in the capital.
In this free concert, locals were serenaded by the Concert Band of San Jose, who sang Happy Birthday to the city and passed out cake to attendees.
In 200 years as a city, San Jose has grown not only in population, but it has become the core political, economic, cultural, commercial, academic, and industrial center of the country.
For two centuries, this city has been the scene of many significant events that marked the history of Costa Rica, including the ratification of Independence from Spain in 1821, the arrival of electricity in 1884, the establishment of the first university in 1884, and the abolition of the army on December 1, 1948. (EFE)
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
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