Costa Rica

From the very beginnings of the colony social integration came about to a very marked degree, so that the Costa Rican folk traditions are an indissoluble mixture of other traditions, with a very heavy Spanish accent. Nonetheless there still remain certain native customs and fragments of native culture of great interest, such as the case of the “Festival of the Little Mare” in Nicoya, Guanacaste; or else the “dance of the little devils” of the Bri- Bri tribe. As a remainder of the colonial era and the first century of the Republic’s existence the quadrille dances with dancers dressed in period costume are still performed, especially in the province of Cartago and Heredia.

A great deal of music has been handed down from that era, above all waltzes, pasillos and mazurkas. Nonetheless, it is the province of Guanacaste which makes the greatest contribution to national folk tradition and in fact the so-called “Punto Guanacasteco” ( a very happy and colorful dance) is the most typical product of Costa Rica. With the first strains of the music the tico reacts in an almost automatic way with joy and contagious enthusiasm, never forgetting the typical and traditional “Guipipía”, the cry of the pampa, which is both an invitation to the festivities and challenge to the champion.

Costa Rica boasts various museums, the most important of which is the National Museum with its great variety and wealth of collections.

This museum stands in the center of the capital, and the building itself is an important historical piece. Its spacious rooms exhibit valuable examples of our pre-Colombian culture and colonial cultures as well as examples from the first century of life as a republic.

Also located in the capital are the Jade Museum, the Gold Museum, Children Museum, and the Costa Rica Art Museum, whose pieces are of incalculable historical and artistic value.

This is the traditional headquarters of the Costa Rican Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In previous times it was also temporary seat of the National Congress and the Presidency of the Republic when, due to repair work on their respective seats, these two institutions needed temporary accommodations in a place which was adequate for their tasks.

The earthquake which destroyed the former capital of the country, Cartago, also destroyed the building housing the Central American court of Justice, also located in the ex-capital. Then in 1912, the American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated the necessary funds for the construction of a new building, this time in the city of San José which was built under the supervision of a brother –in-law of the philanthropist. When the functions of this Court ended the building was given over to the Costa Rica authorities for its tasks, with the consent of the remaining Central American countries.