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WALKWAY ALONG PASEO COLÓN AND SABANA
2. La Merced Church 4. San Juan de Dios Hospital
A group of neighbors in San José The construction of San Juan de Dios
decided to raise a prayer chapel Hospital took place in the second half
dedicated to the Virgin of Mercy of the 19th century. Its construction
in 1816. The land chosen for such was made possible by the effort of the
an endeavor was donated by a
Presbyterian, last name Chacón, and ecclesiastical sector, the government,
was adjacent to the Tobacco Factory and the great collaboration of various
in the center of town. It was finished in barrios and communities within the
1819. In 1824, the members of the First Central Valley. These buildings were
Constitutional Congress of the Free State of the only health center for several decades
Costa Rica were sworn in. that could care for any individual in Costa Rican
The same chapel functioned as a “political prison” for the society. Its invaluable architectural sum is composed of several
image of the Virgin of Los Angeles that the people of Cartago construction techniques, like Neoclassical and Art Deco style,
left behind in the Curridabat church after losing the League among others. Various outstanding Costa Rican engineers and
War. It was Francisco Morazán who made the decision to
return “the very noble and loyal Virgin” in 1842. architects were involved in the construction of these buildings,
On December 30, 1888, a violent quake shook the city such as León Tessier, Augusto Fla-Chebba, José Francisco
and among those buildings damaged was the La Merced Salazar and José María Barrantes.
church. They planned to reconstruct it, but on a bigger area
where the city theater was. 5. The Costa Rican Art Museum
The Neo-gothic star. The current design is the work of
engineer Lesmes Jiménez Bonnefil, and architect Jaime
Carranza. Construction began on June 17, 1894. The This museum holds around 6,400
temple is in Neo-gothic style. Its only central tower reflects different pieces of art, the majority
German Gothic influence. The paintings on the columns are from national artists, from the 19th
by Italian Adriano Arié and date back to 1920. The flat
ceiling of La Merced is natural mahogany, and the mosaic century until the present. Besides
was made by the first mosaic factory in the country. the expositions, it engenders critical
thought about national art within an
international context. The exhibition
3. The Statue of Licenciate Braulio Carrillo Colina layout is located in the old international
(La Merced Park) 1800-1845
airport built in 1940. It has galleries such
He was a lawyer, judge, politician, and Chief of State as the “Sculpture Gardens” and “The Golden
(1835-1837, 1838-1842) who separated Costa Rica from Room” where various cultural events are held and segments of the
the Central American Federal Republic and declared country’s history are laid out in bas-relief. The MAC supplements
Costa Rica independent on November 15, 1841. He these events by means of conferences open to the public.
was named ”Benemérito de la Patria” in 1971. Tel.: (506) 2222-7155 • Fax: 2222-724.7 Ext. 118
www.musarco.go.cr •
Hours: Tuesdays to Fridays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
Saturdays and Sundays, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
*Sundays free.
USEFUL ADVICE!
For complaints against tourist services,
call 2299-5800 or at 22915762.
E-mail: quejas@ict.go.cr
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