| Heredia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — City — | |||
| El Fortín Monument | |||
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| Nickname(s): Ciudad de las Flores (Spanish) " City of Flowers " |
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| Motto: Libertad, Paz, y Progreso | |||
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Heredia
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Costa Rica | ||
| Province | Heredia Province | ||
| Canton | Heredia Canton | ||
| Founded | 1705 | ||
| Districts |
5
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| Government | |||
| • Mayor | José Manuel Ulate Avendaño (PLN) | ||
| • Municipal Council President | Manuel de Jesús Zumbado Araya | ||
| Elevation | 1,150 m (3,773 ft) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| • Total | 42,600 | ||
| Website | http://www.heredia.go.cr/ | ||
Heredia is a city located in the Heredia province of Costa Rica and is the capital of that province. It is currently undergoing a rapid process of industrialization and is located 10 kilometers north of the country's capital, San José.
The city is home to one of the largest colleges in Costa Rica, the National University of Costa Rica, that accepts many international students.
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Prior to its founding, the area around Heredia was inhabited by the a native tribe known as the Huetares, who were commanded at the coming of the Spanish by the Cacique Garabito. In 1706 settlers from Cartago, set up a small church at a place they called "Alvirilla", which soon became more populated. Between 1716 and 1717 the settlers moved their village to the north, to a place the Indians called Cubujuquí. In 1736 Heredia was deemed sufficiently large enough to be granted its own parish, and the first incarnation of the Iglesia de la Inmaculada was built to serve as its parish church. In 1751, the Bishop of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Monseñor Pedro Agustín Morel de Santa Cruz supervised the founding of the first school in Heredia, which was run by the church. This school is now known as the Liceo de Heredia. In 1763 the town was promoted to the status of Villa; it was later renamed Heredia in honor of the President of the Audiencia de Guatemala who had conferred the status, don Alonso Fernández de Heredia. During the 18th century the area around Heredia was developed, with the founding of towns like Barva. On October 31, 1796, Padre Felix de Alvarado laid the foundation stone for the rebuilding of the Iglesia de la Inmaculada. The Municipality of Heredia was founded on May 19, 1812, and in 1824 Heredia was promoted to city by Juan Rafael Mora, first President of the Republic. The 1848 constitution made Heredia the capital of Heredia Province, promoted it to cantón, and assigned it seven parishes.[1]
Heredia's nickname is "Ciudad de las Flores" (City of Flowers), but not because of the city's flowers, as many private tourist companies describe it. At the turn of the 19th century, the wealthy Flores family dominated political and social life in the city; one of the family's more famous members, Alfredo González Flores, served as president of Costa Rica before being ousted in a coup by Federico Tinoco Granados. Their home is now the city's municipal museum, located directly north of the central church. The name is also said to refer to the beauty of their women. Some of the most beautiful women in Costa Rica are said to reside in ths province.
For a brief period in the 1830s, Heredia served as the capital of Costa Rica.[2] Today, this city is a sister city with Marietta, GA. The city is a friendship city with Richfield, MN.[3]
Warm year-round, the temperatures are tempered by the amount of cloud cover that affects the area. The rains are spread throughout the year, but the rainiest period is May–October. Climate is relatively low throughout the year
| Climate data for Heredia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 24.3 (75.7) |
25.1 (77.2) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.7 (80.1) |
25.8 (78.4) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.9 (76.8) |
24.7 (76.5) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24 (75) |
25.08 (77.15) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 14.6 (58.3) |
14.6 (58.3) |
14.6 (58.3) |
15 (59) |
15.7 (60.3) |
15.5 (59.9) |
15.7 (60.3) |
15.4 (59.7) |
15 (59) |
15.1 (59.2) |
15.5 (59.9) |
15.4 (59.7) |
15.18 (59.32) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 20.4 (0.803) |
21.7 (0.854) |
47.8 (1.882) |
110.1 (4.335) |
333.1 (13.114) |
327.8 (12.906) |
199.5 (7.854) |
241.6 (9.512) |
410.8 (16.173) |
424.6 (16.717) |
182.4 (7.181) |
54.5 (2.146) |
2,374.3 (93.476) |
| Source: National Meteorologic Institute of Costa Rica [4] | |||||||||||||
The following are notable individuals who were born or lived in Heredia: