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Interesting Facts
- Involved in a family enterprise to build a railroad linking San José and Puerto Limon, Minor Cooper Keith founded Costa Rica's banana industry almost by default. When the railroad wasn't attracting enough passengers, Keith used it to ship bananas to the coast. By 1890, his United Fruit Company was well underway. The railroad connected major fruit distribution centers in New Orleans and Boston with the banana plantations of San José. In time, Keith expanded his company to Guatemala and Honduras, and profits from the railroad and bananas funded much of Costa Rica's national debt through the 1930s.
- The land for San José's expansive and lovely Sabana Municipal Park was donated by Doña Maria de Torres, mother of the notable priest Manuel Antonio Chapui, a leader who actively supported the city's economic development. One of the city's biggest parks, in fact it used to be the landing strip of the old International Airport approximately 40 years ago. Today, the park is a haven of tranquility and natural beauty amidst the hustle and bustle of the downtown.
- Known for its many coffee and tobacco plantations, the Central Valley and San José areas became home to many wealthy farmers who began buying tracts of land from the city, including the area now known as Barrio Amon. This neighborhood is now an upscale one with many Bed and Breakfast establishments, hotels, restaurants and business as well as lovely homes and vintage architecture.
- When visiting this capital city, you can expect to enjoy pleasant temperatures year round. Because it's situated at an altitude of about 2900 feet above sea level, the climate is consistently mild and pleasant. Daytime temperatures generally hover in the mid 70s while nighttime temperatures cool to the low 60s.
- Parque Morazan is located across from the expansive National Cultural Center, a large performing arts complex. The park was named in honor of Francisco Morzan, a Central American hero who displaced President Braulio Carrillo in 1842. However, his lead was short-lived as rebels overthrew him within six months time, eventually murdering him just three blocks from the current day park now named for him.
- Now a city landmark located west of the city's Parque España , the Edificio Metalico (metal building) was one of San José's first educational buildings. It was actually constructed in Brussels and imported to Costa Rica by way of France. Today, the eye-catching building is still a school, hosting elementary students each day.
- Known as the grano de oro, translated as the golden bean, the coffee bean has provided for the area's economic growth for centuries. All throughout the Central Valley, coffee plantations dot the landscape, employing thousands of workers. In the late 19th century, the first beans were exported to the shores of Europe where Europeans fell madly in love with the rich brew the beans created. And the rest, as they say, is history!
- How did a city that began as a backwater place end up with a lavish, architectural jewel like the Teatro Nacional (National Theater)? It all came down to a bit of self-discipline on the part of the area coffee farmers. With the heady air of newly found riches, the growers decided they needed to inject a bit of culture into their lives. Having come to this conclusion, they then decided to tax themselves in order to amass the funds for the construction of this grand building.
- Visiting the National Museum? Be sure to take a look at the statue of former President Jose "Pepe" Figueres that stands behind the museum. The statue honors the popular three-time president who received the Nobel Peace Prize for his Central American peace plan, a plan that brought an end to armed conflicts within his beloved country in the mid 1900s.
- Two well-known Americans have left their marks on the city of San José. Wealthy steel magnate Andrew Carnegie financed construction of the Foreign Ministry, known as the Casa Amarilla, that's located across from the city's Espana Park. Popular US President Kennedy planted a memorial Ceiba tree during his visit to San José in 1963 when he founded the country's Alliance for Progress.
