Alajuela

Alajuela
Images, from top down, left to right: Alajuela skyline at night, Central Church, Juan Santamaría Statue, Central Park, Municipal Theater, a traditional Costa Rican bullock cart, the Juan Santamaría International Airport, Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium.
Flag of Alajuela
Coat of arms of Alajuela
Nickname(s): 
Ciudad de los Mangos[1]
(City of Mangoes)
Motto(s): 
Pro Patria Nostra — Sanguis Noster
For our country, our blood
Map
Alajuela and surrounding area
Alajuela is located in Costa Rica
Alajuela
Alajuela
Location of Alajuela within Costa Rica
Coordinates: 10°01′N 84°13′W / 10.017°N 84.217°W / 10.017; -84.217
CountryCosta Rica
ProvinceAlajuela Province
CantonAlajuela
Founded1782
Government
 • SyndicFrancisco Salazar Sánchez
Area
 • Total
8.88 km2 (3.43 sq mi)
Elevation
952 m (3,123 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
42,975
 • Density4,800/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−06:00
Postal code
20101
ClimateAw
WebsiteOfficial website

Alajuela (Spanish pronunciation: [alaˈxwela]) is a district in the Alajuela canton of the Alajuela Province of Costa Rica. As the seat of the Municipality of Alajuela canton, it is awarded the status of city. By virtue of being the city of the first canton of the province, it is also the capital of the Province of Alajuela.[2][3]

Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays part of the conurbation of the Greater Metropolitan Area. The city is the birthplace of Juan Santamaría, the national hero of Costa Rica and the figure who gives the name to the country's main international airport, which is south of Alajuela downtown.

  1. ^ "Dos lucidas exposiciones conmemorarán los 100 años de la Diócesis de Alajuela". L Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Declara oficial para efectos administrativos, la aprobación de la División Territorial Administrativa de la República N°41548-MGP". Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica (in Spanish). 19 March 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  3. ^ División Territorial Administrativa de la República de Costa Rica (PDF) (in Spanish). Editorial Digital de la Imprenta Nacional. 8 March 2017. ISBN 978-9977-58-477-5.