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San José is the Capital and largest City of the nation of Costa Rica . It is also the capital of the San José Province . San José is located in the center of the country at ; it is on a mountain plateau at an elevation of about 1,170 meters (3,839 feet) above Sea Level .

According to was a period of rapid growth for the city, considering that in 1950 its population was a mere 86,900. The metropolitan area of San José exceeds the canton limits and surpasses one million inhabitants.


HISTORY

Park . San José]]
San José was a small village of little significance until 1824 .
In that year, Costa Rica's first elected head of state, liberal Juan Mora Fernández , decided to move the government of Costa Rica from the old Spanish colonial capital of Cartago and make a fresh start with a new city.
This was a time of much optimism in the newly independent nation of Central America, of which Costa Rica was at that time a state (''see:'' History Of Central America ).
The new capital of San José grew rapidly, extending into the Central Valley.
Because of its late 18th Century origin, San José has little of the Spanish colonial architecture common in most other Latin America n capitals.

The University Of Costa Rica was established here in 1843 , in that time with the name of "University of Santo Tomás". San José also serves as the headquarters of the Inter-American Court Of Human Rights . The city is served by Juan Santamaría International Airport , 23 km west of downtown, near Alajuela .

Important places in the city include the Banco Central de Costa Rica building, the Banco Nacional building (much taller than other buildings nearby, giving the city its particular skyline), La Sabana Metropolitan Park, Avenida Central (a pedestrian thoroughfare and one of the major commercial areas in the city). The Central Park and the Plaza de la Cultura are visited by thousands of workers and tourists every day. The Teatro Nacional De Costa Rica (National Theatre of Costa Rica), Melico Salazar Theater , and the Cathedral are other landmarks in the central area. In the south, the Clínica Bíblica (a private hospital) and the Pacific Train Station are important buildings.


CLIMATE

San José City lies in the Torrid Zone , like the rest of the country, but its elevation gives it a mild climate. The temperature ranges between 18 °C and 26 °C. The rainy season is from April to late November but cloudiness and rainfall can occur during the dry season. Relative humidity tends to range between 60% and 90%.


NIGHTLIFE

Although prostituion is legal in Costa Rica, child prostitution is punished to the most severe extent of the law.

There are numerous bars around San José Canton, with some major 'nightlife centers':
  • El Pueblo is a mix of more than 50 bars, clubs, restaurants, art galleries and shops. Lining the picturesque cobblestone streets within walking distance of several hotels and resorts, it is a lively place from 9 PM until dawn. Caters to many tourists.

  • A street known as the Calle De La Amargura in San Pedro near the University Of Costa Rica , with a wide selection of bars, restaurants and discos. Its proximity to the University and its young, economical inactive students makes this area offer food and drinks for relatively low prices. But beware, pickpockets and low-level criminals roam this place.

  • Neighbourhoods around Heredia have a lot of bars and places to go at night.

  • The cantons of Escazú and Santa Ana offer many options and quality places, though sometimes at inflated prices.

  • There are a lot of spots similar to Red-light District s around the city and in the San José Metropolitan Area, where the adult entertainment business is growing.



ATTRACTIONS

The National Theather and the Melico Salazar offer hectic calendars of cultural activities, featuring theather and dance groups and orchestra music throughout the year.

Besides the nightlife in San José, there are many museums and other attractions offering alternative ways of exploring the city. One of these is the Gold Museum, which offers a rare look at various gold artifacts of the ancient Latin American civilizations. An interesting attraction for the less adventurous is the Lankester Botanical Gardens just outside of San José.

A third well-known, though more controversial, landmark is the Hotel and Casino del Rey, which is a hotel infamous for its ease of meeting prostitutes (local and foreign). It's located in the heart of San José and is host to the Blue Marlin Bar. This particular place has been known for regular police raids, in which tourists have been arrested while picking up underage prostitutes.

There are some cafés in the downtown area, in the Central Mail building, The National Theather and the Melico Salazar, where national coffee is prepared and served in typical Costa Rican ways.


EXTERNAL LINKS

# Municipalidad de San José. Mayor of San José's Office
# San José Metropolitano. Web site with information about San José's Metropolitan Area
# Infoweb.co.cr. Galería San José. Some pictures of the city
# Info San José, CR. Information about the city. Includes news, events, a tourist guide, forums, etc.