Nomadic Narrative

Even though people may start accusing me of taking bribes from San José mayor Johnny Araya, I’m going to once again invite travelers to consider forgoing the rain forests and beaches for a day or two in favor of exploring not just the capital, but the old capital.

While Mr. Araya is not also the mayor Costa Rica’s first capital city, Cartago is an easy 40-minute trip from San José’s city center. Now that the old capital is lighting up some of the historical buildings surrounding its main plaza in the evenings, it will make a nice second-stop after a morning in San José. (Read a bit about the history of Cartago and a fun find from my first trip over a year ago here.)

The Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles

There are two major historical sites in Cartago: the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles and Las Ruinas de la Parroquia. Even though you’ll stumble upon Las Ruinas de la Parroquia first, I like heading to the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles first for a little inspiration and then backtracking to the city center for a little relaxation.

The Virgen de los Ángeles also just happens to be the patron saint of Costa Rica. A product of colonial and late 19th century Byzantine style architecture, the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles stands out in stark contrast to the nearby towering green mountains. While the basilica warrants a visit just for the architecture, it’s the devotion of the visitors which really makes this place so special.

Visitors come to pay homage to La Negrita or “The Black Virgin,” a small statuette of an indigenous representation of the Virgin Mary, which was reportedly found in 1635 by a mulatto woman while collecting firewood in the forest. (Read more about the local lore in Spanish here.)

There is almost always a long line of devotees sliding on their knees from the entrance to the altar. On August 2 during what is known as “El Romero,” the anniversary of the statuette’s discovery, devotees travel 22 km on their knees to the basilica. I remember a similar scene where devotees slid on their knees to visit the Our Lady of Fátima Basilica in Portugal. Religious or not, it’s hard not to feel moved and inspired by such expressions of faith.

After exploring the basilica, to top off the day I then return to the city center to the Las Ruinas de la Parroquia, which form one side of the main plaza. Never completed due to earthquake damage, the roofless structure now houses beautiful gardens. As of last week, the stone façade basks in an evening spotlight which will add some ambience to this public space. With plenty of benches, the plaza is a great spot to unwind with an ice cream after a long day of exploring. You’ll need it!

Your turn! If you’ve visited Cartago, what do you think? Would you recommend visitors to check it out? Why, or why not?