Alajuela

Alajuela is the capital city of the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the district (distrito) that includes the city. Alajuela serves as the capital for the canton of Alajuela, an area much larger than the district. It is the birthplace of Juan Santamaría, the national hero of Costa Rica. It hubs the Juan Santamaría International Airport, the main airport serving Costa Rica (IATA: SJO / ICAO: MROC), which is located 3 kilometers south of the city.

Geography

The district of Alajuela covers an area of 8.88 km²,^[1] and has a population of 46,554.^[2] It lies at an elevation of 952 meters above sea level^[1] in the Central Valley (Valle Central), 19 kilometers northwest of the national capital city of San José.

It was created by law Nº 36, of December 7, 1848 with two cantons and eight parochial districts. In the pre-Columbian epoch, the territory that is nowadays Alajuela was inhabited to the south by the Indians of the cacicazgo Garabito, and to the north by that of the Votos.

The province of Alajuela is one of the most extensive in the country. It borders to the north with Nicaragua, to the south with the province of San Jose, to the east with the province of Heredia and to the west with the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas.

Its participation in important historical facts has placed it in a seat of honor. The national hero Juan Santamaría, who burned the inn of Rivas in 1856, was born in Alajuela. Alajuela has the reputation of having a good climate.

The area often experiences earthquakes; the 2009 6.1M_w earthquake was the strongest to hit the area, causing several landslides.^[3]

History

In the pre-Columbian epoch the territory that today corresponds to the Canton of Alajuela was a part of the so-called Kingdom Huetar of Occident, which was inhabited by natives, who to the beginnings of the conquest were obedient of the Chief Grabito.

The First Spanish settles came in 1650, and occupied the uncultivated grounds of the region. The first time that the name of The Lajuela was quoted is in the protocols of Cartago, in the testament of Mrs Juana Vera y Sotomayor, widow of the Biggest Sergeant García Ramiro Corajo granted in 1657. Later in a writing of obligation granted in 1864 it turns to mention the place that they name of The Lajuela in the Valley of Barva, near to the river Canoas.

In 1777 the neighbours of The Lajuela and Ciruelas before the obligation to move to Villa Vieja (today’s Heredia), requested to construct a public provisional oratory which established in the house of Don Dionysius Oconitrillo, of Spanish origin, 30 meters to the north of where today one finds The Cathedral of Alajuela. After increases the population of five existing quarters then: Targuaz, Puás, Ciruelas, La Lajuela and Rio Grande, the citizens faced difficulties to expire with they religious obligations, so they request the Bishop of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Monsignor don Esteban Lorenzo de Tristán, permission to erect a parish and a public oratory.

In accordance with The Constitution promulgated in the Spanish Parliament of Cadiz (Spain, May 19, 1812), the first Town hall of Alajuela started working in 1813. On December 18 of the same year, the quarter La Lajuela obtained the title of Town and it was called a Villa Hermosa, then it was called San Juan Nepomuceno de Alajuela and finally the title of city was granted to it, on November 20, 1824 preserving the name of Alajuela until our days.

Alajuela is also the hometown of one of the most popular soccer teams of the country, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense soccer club.

Economy

The main exports are coffee, sugar-cane, corn, beans, tobacco, citrus fruits such as the strawberries; the tubers, like yucca, flowers and ornamental plants. Also the poultry farming is practised (it breeds and taken care of the birds), the beekeeping (breeds and taken care of the bees) the “porcicultura” (breeds and taken care of pigs), and the milk industry.

Administrative Divisions

This city is conformed for the following neighbourhoods, known as “distritos”:

1. Alajuela ( Main )
2. San Jose
3. Carrizal
4. San Antonio
5. Guacima
6. San Isidro
7. Sabanilla
8. San Rafael
9. Rio Segundo
10. Desamparados
11. Turrúcares
12. Tambor
13. Garita
14. San Miguel