[Av. 7/calle 3-5]. It`s 100 % mahogany and is situated in Barrio Amon. It was built in 1910 by a coffee plantator family (Salazar). It`s one-storeyed building with veranda in the entrance. The roof is distinguished by loocarens. It has twenty high ceiling rooms, embellished with King Louis XV furniture. It was to be bulldozed in the past in order to expand the Aurolas's Hotel parking lot.

[Av.11/calle 3bis]. Large, 4-storeyed square base building in Barrio Amon. It dominates over calm residencial street and stands out with smooth plaster (without any adorness), large rectangular windows and many oriels topped by frontons. It has 90 rooms inside.

[Av.7/calle 5]. (Alianza Francesa). It was designed in 1895 in eclectical style by Jaro family. The design was made by an architect Pirie. One storeyed building. It is in possession of 25-cm thick walls and a metal porch brought from Belgium. Fasade has very large rectangular windows and veranda supported by six thin columnes. From the 4-sided roof emerges the iron lookaren. In the years 1939-1940, the off that time owner Jorge Lara Ireata remodelled that. In 1964 it was abandoned. In 1988 it was declared the national monument and in 1995 it was undergone a complete restoration after buying that by French Cultural Agency.

[Av. 9/calle 7]. (Casa Verde) It`s situated in Barrio Amon. It was built around 1910 as a property of Don Carlos Saborio Yglesias (a wealthy owner of a cattle rancho). It`s two storeyed, clapboard building on which there are a few elegant aparthaments (Celia Jr., Yglesias, Don Carlos Saborio). In 1994 that was declared the best renovated building in the country.

[Av.10/calle 21]. It`s situated in Barrio Los Yoses. French-style building (formerly brick-red structure), built in 1930 for dr. Ricardo Moreno Canas by Francisco Jimenez. In 1938 it was purchased by a Venezuelan Matute Gomez, who was fleeing political persecution following the fall of his dictator brother in Venezuela. He lived there untill 1951. In 1990 his daughters sold the house and in 1994 it was completelly restored. Now it`s a buzzing night spot.

[Av.7/calle 11]. (Casa Amarilla). It`s situated to the east from Social Security Building, not far from Park of Spain. In front of that a huge La Ceiba tree rises, and that was planted in 1963 during Central America presidents Summit. The building used to be a seat of Foreign Ministry and is painted in yellow. Its interior is also yellow. There are a lot of mirrors. Furnitures and doors are made of dark wood. At the beginning it was placed in Cartago. (The building was completed in December of 1907). It served as the site of the Central American Court of Justice. But soon it was destroyed due to the earthquake, and rebuilt in San Jose thanks to Andres H. Carnegic 100.000 $ donation. It was completed in 1916 with the supervision of architect Henry D. Wiffield. In years of 1966 and 1975 it undergone solid renovation. In 1976 that was declared the national monument. In 1990 the yellow addition was stuck to that.

[Av. Central/calle 17]. The Moorish style building close to the Democracy Square. It was built in 1912 by Andreoli & Indumi company, by order of presidencial candidate Maximo Fernandez. In 1914 he lost and lent his home - known as the Blue Castle - to President ellect Alfredo Gonzalez Flores. The building was a private residence between 1954 - 1989. Today it houses the Legislative Assembly.

[Av.18/calle 9-11]. It served at the beginning as prison. Since 1887 it has been used as school (the second oldest high school in Costa Rica). The lessons have been organized in new building since 1903. On its background is placed the statue of former president Ricardo Jimenez Oreamuno. In 1981 registered as historical building.

[Av.5/calle 9]. One of three experimental buildings made of metal, that were put in San Jose on the turn of centuries (1896). It has to do with catastrophic earthquake from 1888. The metal constructions were to save the new buildings from destruction. The process of building was under control of architect Charles Thirion. The metal elements were fabricated by Herrerias De Aisseau company and transported to Costa Rica from Amberes in Belgium. The first segments were shipped to Limon in 1892.

At the beginning that was devided into two parts: school for boys and school for girls. After big earthguake from 1910, there was an hospital for wounded persons. It`s painted in different shades of yellow with pastel moulds. The inside of the building could easely be the outer facade. Outside is accented with a bust of Minerva symbolizing "goddess of wisdom". During its building, around were only fields dominated by moskitos. Now it houses a school of Buenaventura Corrales.

It`s situated at the north end of calle 4. It resembles a castle building. It dates to 1848 and as resently as 1989 served as the prison for 4.000 men. Since 1994 the Museum of Children. It`s distinguished by two half-rounded towers-rysalites and outstanding attic. There are 34 rooms each with different theme. There are exhibits that include a planetarium and rooms dedicated to astronomy, planet earth, Costa Rica, ecology, science, human beings, and communications.

[Av.7/calle 9-11]. It is named in honour of the founder Marco Fidel Tristan Castro, who initiated the purchase of the jade collection. It`s on the 11th floor of the Institute for National Security, at Francisco Morazan Park. The exhibit in this museum is the largest (7.000 items) American jade collection in the world. There are shown also musical instruments, bows and arrows, an aerial photo of the Guayabo Archeological Site and replica of 14th century Tang Dynasty ceramic horse. Many exhibits come from a private collection of Carlos Balsen.

[Av.3/calle 21]. It was opened on May 1993 and is in the former railway station building dated to 1907. Contains a display of pictures and documents referred to famous "jungle train". Outside there is a steam engine that was brought in 1939 from Philadelphia.

It`s situated in Los Yoses quarter. There is the collection of pre-Columbian jewelry, art, ceramics, and artifacts. There are also pitch-gold, emeralds, and semi-precious stones for sale.

[Av.6-8/calle 21]. It is situated in the building of Supreme Court. There are exhibitions of weapons, tools of crimes, counterfeit lottery tickets and money, drug paraphernalia, also illegaly aborded fetus and black-white pictures featuring for example quartered bodies. That was established in 1981.

[Calle 42}. It was established in 1977. It is in former building of airport terminal in La Sabana Municipal Park. There are presented art and paintings from XIX and XX century. On the first ground there is an exhibition of French artist Louis Ferron, featuring the history of Costa Rica. In front of the museum there is the Park of Centenary where are put the monument of Juan Carlos I and Leon Cortes.

[Av.Central-2/calle 15-17]. It is situated on the Square of Democracy. The building`s origin dates back to 1916. Till 1949 that was called Fort Bellavista, and housed the government barracks. Now there is so called the golden room, that was sponsored by banana company of United Fruit. The inner gardened courtyard is devoted for exhibitions of precolumbian objects, historical dresses, colonial furnituries, presidencial portraits and mastadon tooth. There are shown matates (Chorotegas Indian stone tables for corn crushing). The documents of granting in 1987 the Peace Nobel Prize for president Oscar Arias Sanchez are placed there as well. The court of museum is also opened for public. There are a few cannons and big rounded balls dug out in south-east part of the country.

Opened in 1959, it`s located near the south-west corner of La Sabana Metropolitan Park, at Colegio La Salle. There are featured stuffed animals, whale skeleton and various bottles containing sea urchins, octopi, human fetuses and bats. There is also an Indian archeology display. On the island on the foyer lives a crocodile.

[Av.5-7/calle 11]. It`s situated in former National Liquor Factory. There are four rooms housing international and national paintings, sculptures and industry art exhibitions.

[Av.11/calle 25]. It is placed in Barrio Escalante. It was established in 1991. Is housed in an adobe building dated to 1912. Inside are featured the items related with life and achievements of ex-president Rafael Calderon Guardia [1940-1944]. In the years of 1985 - 1994 the building underwent the complete renovation.

[Av.Central/calle 5]. Named after Jai,e Solara Benett. It`s situated in the underground of Plaza de la Cultura, in the long narrow room with thick vault doors. It provides a survey of the money and coins of Costa Rica and an explanation of how the money developed. It includs the exhibitions of 1000-colones dating to 1969 and examples of the country`s colourful paper money, first issued in 1864.

[Av.Central/calle 5]. Named after Alvaro Vargas Echeveria. It`s situated in the underground of Plaza de la Cultura. It was built by the Costa Rica`s Central Bank in 1982. It encompasses the second largest collection in America of precolumbian pieces of gold (over 1.600 pieces at all weighing in at 24.000 troy ounces). The exhibits of figures of frogs, jaguars, sharks, snakes, lobsters are hung on thin lines and give the impression of soaring in the air. There are tons of birds of prey and crocodiles figures (the last ones carry the pathetic dangling legs of humans). Costa Rica Indians, 1000 years before Columb arriving were the most advanced in producing the goods from gold.

It`s situated in Barrio Uruca and was founded in 1985. There are the collections of printing presses, type setting machines, type-faces and other related objects representing the history of printing in Costa Rica during the last 150 years.

One of the most known monuments in San Jose. It`s placed in National Park, in the eastern part of town, between 15 and 19 streets and 1 and 3 avenidas. It was made in Paris at the end of XIX century. It symbolizes of brave attitude of Central America, especially Costa Rica in fight against american filibustier William Walker, who wanted in 1856 to take over the entire region. The monument`s building in Paris in the middle of last century was ordered by Costa Rica representative for french sculptor Louis Carrier Bellouse. He made a bronze pedestal on which put seven figures. Five of them symbolize Central American republics, and two others of William Walker and one of his dead soldiers. Costa Rica stands straight in the middle, one hand holds the flag and shows the way for free, and the second hand support wound Nicaragua. The latter one with broken sword, as a agony sign, has a veil on her head. Guatemala holds the axe, El Salwador the sword and Honduras the arch and shield.

On the pedestal there are four reliefs depicting: scenes from Santa Rosa battle, fights in Rivas, the seizing of boats in the San Juan river and human shape of off that time president Juan Rafael Mora Porras. The monument sculpturing was ended up in 1891, and it was brought to Costa Rica a year kater. The solemn unveiling of a monument was on September 15th of 1892. In the ceremony took place different representatives of neighbouring countries. Next to that is situated The Numismatic Museum.

[Av.2-4/calle 12-14]. (Park Merced, Park Nicaragua). It`s situated in front of La Merced church. Has 1,3 metre precolombian stone sphere, the statue of former president Braulio Carillo and Gothic arch-shaped fountain. There is also a monument honoring the astronomer Copernicus. It`s covered by high palms and agavas. In the southern edge of park there is a factory of beer and in the western one - the hospital of San Juan de Dios.

[Av. 2-4/calle Central-2]. (Square of Tomas Guardia). It`s shaded by exotic trees (among others one Guanacaste) and has an ornate fountain, concrete benches and spider-like kiosko (something like a stage), where on every sunday concerts are held. The donator of that structure was former Nicaragua dictator Anastasio Somoza. A few years back in a referendum, inhabitants of San Jose decided about not pulling down it. Beneath the kiosko there is a Carmen Lyra Children`s Library and has been put since 2004 an ornate flagpole and statue of a man with broom (made by Edgar Zuniga). At the northern park edge at across the street there is a Melico Salazar Theater, and old famous in Costa Rica Soda Palace (resaturation). In 1842 in one of its corner was shot in execution Francisco Morazan.

Disney-style amusement park in La Uruca quarter with bumper cars, go-karts and roller coasters. It was created in 1981 with the suggestion of doctor Roberto Ortiz. There are replicas of the National Liquor Factory, Congressional Building, churches and Costa Rican Banc. It has three sections: capital city, coast, and country (the last one with original adobe structures moved to there). On December 2004 a big La Torre (a kind of adventurous machine) was imported from Italy. It is planned to be remodelled for the New Years events celebrations. Most of the profits from this park are donated for Hospital de los Ninos (originally it was to be a fun park for its patients).

It`s situated in the outskirts of San Jose, three kilometres east of San Pedro quarter. It was created by Oscar Arias as a recreational center. There are children play houses, basket ball courts, volleyball nets, barbecue pits and benches. Within that (in the eastern edge) there is the rondo of I Griega.

[Av.3-5/calle 5-9]. It was designed in 1887. It`s devided into four plots. In the middle stands the neoclassic kiosko that serves as the band-shell. In its north-west side rise tabebuia trees [Tabebuia resea], that bloom in dry season. To the southern part are stuck two historical houses. In north-east corner, in front of the metal building, there is a fountain. The park is overshaded by La Aurora Hotel (the highest hotel in town). It`s scattered by the statues and busts (Bernardo Soto Alfaro, Bernardo O`Higgins).

It`s surrounded by the long concrete benches that serve as the fence with iron, ornate gates. In 1998 a 3,5 metres of height bronze statue of Costa Rica president from 1974 - 1978 Daniel Oduber Quiros was erected. That way his participation in social country development was commemorated. The monument was made by Costa Rica artist Olger Villegas.

[Av. 18-20/calle2-4]. It was founded in 1956 roku. In its eastern part there is a high, futuristic obelisk devoted to firemen. There is also a bust of ex-president Jose Maria Canas and also a plate devoted for the events of 1856. It stands out with metal benches with seats made of thick metal pipes, fountain and short trees. There is more concrete than grass surface.

53-ha park in southern parts of town. It was created by president Oscar Arias as a sport-recreation centre. It consists of football field, volleyball and basketball fields, 5 kilometres of bicycle routes and an artificial lake. Lately was put the monument dedicated to the destruction of arms confiscated on the borders on trials of smuggling them through Costa Rica. It was sculptured by Mario Parra. In administration building complex take place a lot of courses. Among them stands so called The Artist Building, where amateur painters show their works. On weekends, in parks many concerts or political lectures can take place. On January 2005, on one of the hills was inaugurated paid chute on cardboard for children.

[Av.America/calle 42]. The nation largest urban park in the western San Jose. It`s situated on the place of former (1958) international airport. It has olimpic size swimming-pool, bicycles trails, football, tennis and golf fields. There is also the artificial lake and national football stadium. It`s covered among others by eucaliptuses. Within that in former terminal building there is a National Museum of Costa Rica Art.

[Av.1-3/calle 15-19]. (Park de la Estacion). Large, forested park between Avenidas 1 & 3, and Calles 15 and 19. It was designed in 1895 and in the same year in its central part was put the National Monument commemorating the succesful fight against american filibustier William Walker in 1856. At the southwest corner is a statue of national hero Juan Santamaria. Besides there are a lot of statues of people involved in the independence of the country (Denis Mora, Aliberto Marten Chavarril, Miguel Idalgo, Don Andres Bello). It`s dominated by high trees on which parakeest abounds. To the south from park there is situated the red building of National Registry and the Electoral Tribunal. On the western side of the park there is the national library.

[Av.3-7/calle 9-11]. (Park of Expression). Shady, little park accentuated by the transplanted from around the country tropical trees. There the monument of conquistador and a large fountain are destinguished. There are the tableaus devoted for Manuel Gonzalez Zeledon from 1964, Aquileo J. Echeveria (1966), for the memory of the members of balet of Dona Caralia de Romero who have been killed in catastrophe in Choluteca (Honduras) in 1969. In the western part there is also a big tebleau from 1978 about the first singing of national hymn at that place by children in 1903. In its south-western corner there is a former liquor factory that in 1994 was converted into the National Centre of Culture. At the western side of the park there is so called Metal Building. To the North is the Institute for National Insurance building. In the northeast corner is placed colonial-style tiled tiny chapel with 4 ornated reliefs on each side. In 1994 it was renovated with the help of the Spanish Embassy.

[Av.1-3/calle 2]. Two-leveled, rectangular-based building. It was designed in 1917 by Luis Llach. It has the arched windows of ground floor and is topped by triangles in the first floor. It`s distinguished by three gated entrance, massive fronton and attic. On the first floor there is established in 1985 the Museum of Stamps with historic telegraphs and telephones (there is presented among others Penny Black - the oldest Costa Rica stamp dated back to 1863). In 1980 the building was declared the national monument. Opposite the post office is a small park shaded by massive fig trees.

[Av.1/calle 9-11]. There are presented different species of reptiles and amphibians, among others snake terciopelo (responsible for the half of snakes bites in Costa Rica), Jesus Christ Basiliscues, Iguanas, Boa constrictors, seas snakes, poisnous dart frogs and being egsotic in Costa Rica cobras and pythones. There is a also a large fish-pool with piranhas.

It`s situated close to the El Pueblo shopping centre. It sticks to the northern edge of Simon Bolivar Zoo. The entrance for that is situated in Barrio Tournon. Its name in latin means "the butterfly". The garden consists of small waterfalls surrounded by orchids and heliconias. It`s covered by net that make it impossible for butterflies to escape. There live blue Morpho butterflies, transparent Espejitos and red, green, yellow and black Heliconius. There are the total number of 21 species. Besides there are also colorful humminbirds. On every morning workers pick the butterflies eggs and put them in special boxes devoted for the european collectors.

[Av.Americana/ calle 42]. Named after 500 centenary of discovering America. It`s placed at the edge of La Sabana Municipal Park, in front of the Museum of Costa Rican Arts. There are placed the monuments of Juan Carlos I (made in 1991) and Leon Cortes Castro (1951). It`s paved and there are few bunches cut into the shape of balls. In November of 2001 there starts the parade of oxcart drivers, full of Saint figures.

[Av.Central-2/calle 3-5]. The heart of town. Around are situated the restaurances and bars. It`s often visited by pigeons that are feeded by resting on benches tourists and locals as well. It is also a favored performance spot for local marimba bands, clowns, jugglers, and colorfully dressed South Americans playing Andean music. In the southern part dominates the Nacional Theater. At the western side, across the street there is famous Gran Hotel with 24 hours Paris Restaurant.

[Av.Central-2/calle 13-15]. It`s located between avenidas Central and Second and the streets 13th and 15th. It`s concrete square with slopes gently up toward the National Museum building. It was ordered by Oscar Arias president in 1989. On the west is a bronze statue of Don Figueres, completed in 1994. It was to be for commemoration of 100 years of democracy in Costa Rica. At its western side there are a lot of market stalls, where T-shirts and other art souvenirs from Costa Rica, Guatemala and Peru are sold.

[Av.18-22/calle 11-13]. A large surface. It was designed in 1925. Partly devoted for a playground fo children. In 2002 renovated. The trees and stone benches have been added. There is the gigantic size monument of ex-president [1906-1910, 1928-1932] Cleto Gonzalez Viquez.

[Av.4-6/calle 5-7]. It covers entirely block. It is covered by pavement with steps, small grasses and bushes. Next to there is situated Ministry of Tourism and College of Senoritas. There is a monument of ex-president [1940-1944] Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia.

[Av.13/calle 7-9]. It was designed in 1994. There are six high columned structure in crescent shape linked together by the protuberant mould. There stands the new electoral Tribunal building. It features a chunk of the Berlin Wall donated by the German Government. There is also a plaque that commemorates the date when the wall came tumbling down.

[Av.2/calle 3]. It was named after the first chief of state of Costa Rica (1823 - 1829). It`s placed in front of the National Theater and next to Hotel Gran. In the western part it`s limited by the arcade, long, roofed passage that lead to the Hotel Gran. In June 1995 that was reinaugurated after renovation. There is the monument of Juan Mora Fernandez (he hold a sword and have a coat slung over left hand). It stands out with the benches that consists of fat, iron pipes stuck together by clamps.

San Jose is laid out on a grid: avenidas (avenues) run east and west; calles (streets), north and south. Avenidas north of the Avenida Central have odd numbers, and those to the south have even ones. On the western end of the city, Avenida Central becomes Paseo Colón; on the eastern end, it's an equally busy, though nameless, four-lane boulevard. Calles to the east of Calle Central have odd numbers; those to the west are even.

It`s situated in Francisco Morazan Park. It`s a imitation of The Temple of Love in Versal. That was designed by Francisco Salazar in the place of old, wooden chapel. It come into use on 24th of december of 1920. That was the first building in Costa Rica, that dome was reinforcemented by concrete.

Previously that served as the place of meeting for lovers. But later that became a place where concerts and political lectures were held. In 1975 that was expected to be destroyed and instead of that was to be erected the monument of Argentinian singer of Carlos Gardela. Luckily, in the same year the temple was declared the national monument. In 1980 that undergone the solid renovation.

[Av.2-4/calle 6]. It`s a corner, two-storeyed pink-creame building. It has rectangular windows (largest on the first ground and tiny on upper one). It`s devided by pilasters and is topped by simple attic (some windows of upper ground are devided by large inscriptions). The main arch-entrance is put on calle 6. Along that is also the larger part of building which has same-size windows and is topped by triangular fronton.

[Av.5/calle 7]. It was designed in 1950`s. In 1970`s was added spined ornaments. It stands out with sharp-arched gates and blind doors plus very narrow windows. It`s rectangular-based, one storeyed building. The roof is hided behind attic with corner spines and by triangular fronton.

[Av. 13/calle 3]. It`s built in 1930 in ornamental Moorish style by spanish man Anastasio Herrero. The majority of building materials were brought from Italy and Spain. It`s distinguished by small turrets. It`s decorated with rows of keyhole windows and plaster crenellations. It has strips of hand-painted tails that border the dome. The first owner was Senor Anastasio Herrero. Later was bought by Dona Luz Quiros de Rodriguez, mother of archbishop Carlos Humberto Rodriguez. In 2002 the court granted the house for a grandson of one of bishop`s sisters - Jorge Ignacio Guier Acosta.

[Av.7/calle 15]. It was designed by Francisco Jimenez de la Guardia around 1920. There is placed an Office for Propagation the French Culture. It`s massive, rectangular-based building. It`s two-storeyed, cut by numerous pilasters building with two-sided roof. Its right side is sunk into the climbing street.

[Av.3/calle 2]. It`s placed next to the main building. It is four storeyed, corner building with short roof. It dates to the beginning of XX century. It is stood out with 4-sided, corner rysalite with adorned balustered attic on its roof. Floors are devided each other by protuberant moulds. Large, elongated windows are separated by pilasters. On the first floor is run Mc Donald`s restaurance.

[Av.1/calle 5]. Cornered, small, two-storeyed building in baroque style, accented by corner tower topped by concrete dome with loocarens. The windows of first floor have the distinct entablature. It`s distinguished by small iron balconies. The fasade is adorned also by pilaster that imitate the Ionic columns and arched windows. (The ornaments resemble the icing on honey-cake). In 2000 the inside of the building was a little destroyed by fire. Now there is the store with luxure glass things.

[Av. Central/calle 1-3]. It`s one storey building, accented by ornated triangular (or half-rounded on the other wall) fronton. The fasade is cut by large pilasters, topped by Ionic order. They separate large rectangular windows or the blade-shaped structures. It was funded by Juan Knorr in 1914. (It`s written with big ornated letters on its wall). Inside there are music shop, bakery and drugstore.

[Av.1-3/calle 5]. It was built in 1924. It`s placed next to the Honey-cake tenement-house. It`s backed from the street and separated from it by concrete fence with iron spans. In front of that is quite big concrete courtyard. It`s two-storeyed building of irregular shape. It`s destinguished by large, ornated top moulds, atticks and buttresses. The most sumptuous is a middle part with delicate compositions in plaster beneath and above window of the first floor.

[Av.Central-1/calle Central]. It was built in 1908. Two storey building. It stands out with arched niches running through entire fasade. In each of them are placed very wide windows and iron ornate tiny balconies. The mould is accented by gigantic keys with mascarones. The entire fasade is rusticated. Primary it was a shop with iron-wires Macaya. Now there is the biggest shop with souvenirs in Costa Rica.

[Av. 1 bis/calle 7-9]. It used to belong to family of Max Guardian Rojas. It was built at the beginning of XX century in Victorian style. It`s one-storey building with lookarens in attic. It is destinguished with wooden walls with trimmings made of sheet zinc and with stained-glass windows in fasade. In years 1994 - 1995 there was plan to convert that into Casa de la Cultura. Since 2000 has been registered on the list of historical buildings. Lately has been bought by owners of nearby Hotel del Rey.

[Av.7/calle 13]. It is rectangle-base three-floor building (next to the Yellow Building). It was built in 1944 by Teodorico Quiros. At the beginning on its place stood famous Victoria Mill. Then the terrain was bought by ex-president Rafael Yglesias. In 1938 the new owner ing. Francisco Jimenez Ortiz planned firstly opening the ceramic factory. It`s distinguished by large, cut corner with adornate attic, half-rounded oriel on which is put the balcony and by corrugated columns. Lately it was a set for the Costa Rican movie "Password".

[Av.11/calle 8-10]. Barrio Mexico. It was built in 1890 on triangular base. Two of its sides create the fasade along two forked streets. It is two storey building with protuberant, thin mould (roof) between them. The first storey seems to be very high because of very narrow rectangular windows and pilasters. Its primary owner was Otto Solera Valverde. Untill 1940 it served as drug-store. Now there is the upholsterer shop. In 1999 was registered to the list of historic buildings.

[Av. Central-Primera/calle1]. At the beginning there was a furniture store "Urgelles y Penon". Now it houses offices and discoteque. Its name derives from the last name of German industrial-man - Heinrich Dietrich Steinvorth. There was carried on the action of telenovela Password.

[Av.2/calle Central]. One of two the most known theaters in Costa Rica. It is placed in front of the Central Park. It was built in 1799 and served at the beginning as the municipal tenement-house. On that time the park on which it stood was called Plaza Real. In 1828 it was destroyed by earthguake and rebuilt from stone elements.

During terms of Juan Rafael Mora, it was converted into his main office. In 1849 Mora moved there his new army. There were the ammunition, cannons and guns. The traces of that were being finding many years after that. (One time, the cannons hiden beneath the floor have been found in one of the rooms).

On July 18th of 1918, the building again changed its functions and became the school for boys. In 1924 the earthquake seriously damaged its construction, and the school became empty. A few years later after romoving the ruins, the new owner of that surface was Jose Raventos. He wanted to build the theater, that could rival with National Theater. The new building was designed by Costa Rica architect. On putting up the building (7.X.1928) with 2250 seats, was called the Raventos Theater. The first operetta that was played was titled "Kiss me", and the title role belonged to Esperanza Iris. In subsiguent years the first silent films started to be produced. The good luck for theater ended in 1967, when during stage adaptation of "Dracula", the fire destroyed its interior.In 1970`s, the cultural elite of San Jose bought and renovated it giving the name of "the Popular Theater". The renovation ended up in 1976 and soon after that the quarrel about its name started again. Some people wanted to call it just The Municipal Theater. Others suggested to change it for Melico Salazar Theater (famous Costa Rica tenor). The latter idea won and since 1980 it has been called that way. During renovation, workers from spanish Museum of Art added the third floor, rebuilt the stage, the dais for orchestra, strengthen Corinthian columns, balconies and completed many reliefs. The number of seats was reduced to 1000. The velvet curtains have been brought from Spain. On 13 December of 1981, the theater started to functione again, producing a performance called "the Carmen". The theater season lasts from April to December.

[Av.2/calle 3-5]. It`s situated in the south-west corner of the Culture Square. Its building was initiated at the end of XIX century by coffee barons, who agreed for special tax from each coffee bag. It was because the world famous prima donna Adelina Patti during her tournee through Central America, overlooked Costa Rica due to the lack of proper place for performing. The building was designed by architects from Italy, Spain and France. It was built from steel frames protecting it against the earthquakes. Finally, the building was ended up in 1897. In 1965 it was declared the national monument. In 1991 the renovation of that was carried out.

It`s made of sandstone and is a scaled-down of Paris opera. It`s accentuated by arched windows and columned facade (the columns are made from marble brought from Italy). The entrance to the theater is flanked by figures of Bethoven and Spanish dramatist Calderon de la Barca. Three other figures symbolizing of Music, Art and Literature, are put on triangular top. The whole is covered by domed roof. The interior is destinguished by sumptuous hall, marble steps, golden and bronze finishes, tropical woods, crystallic chandeliars, mirrors and picture. On the ceiling, there is a fresco featuring the banana loading for boat, painted by Arturo Fontana. On the second level is a ceiling painting by Italian artists Aleandro Villa, entitled Alegoria. In the theater rooms, there is a cafe Ruisenor offering coffee, sandwiches and cakes.

It`s situated in Barrio Otoya and is called after Simon Bolivar. It was founded in 1916 and is spreaded on 14 acre surface. Now there are the trials for its renovation. In the majority there are the native species, but there are also lion and Bengal tiger. In 2005 the Ministry of Environment took over management of ZOO.

San Jose - capital of Costa Rica

Volcanos of the Republic of Costa Rica

Biographies of Costa Rica`s presidents

Up-to-date events from the country

Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve

Volcan Tenorio - the least known cone of Costa Rica

Gallery of Costa Rica sights

Nearly everything about Costa Rica`s bananas.

Poland - Costa Rica (the current and historic relations between two nations)