La Sabana Metropolitan Park
La Sabana Metropolitan Park | |
---|---|
Parque Metropolitano La Sabana | |
Type | Urban park |
Location | San José, Costa Rica |
Coordinates | 9°56′08″N 84°06′15″W / 9.935556°N 84.104167°W |
Area | 619,409.92 square metres (153.05952 acres) |
Created | 1977 |
Status | Open all year |
La Sabana Metropolitan Park (Spanish: Parque Metropolitano La Sabana) is located in downtown San José, Costa Rica. It is the country's largest and most significant urban park.[1] La Sabana is considered "the lungs of San José" by Costa Ricans.[2]
Geography
Covering an area of 0.72 square kilometres (0.28 sq mi), La Sabana Metropolitan Park is adjacent to the city's core districts, offering green space and recreation to the residents of San José.
Several vital institutions and organizations are located within or adjacent to the park.[3]
History
La Sabana Metropolitan Park was officially inaugurated in 1977, though its origins last two centuries. Manuel Antonio Chapuí, the
Costa Rica's first president, Juan Mora Fernández, and other josefino (San José) personalities devoted themselves to providing the park with several dispositions to preserve this green area legacy.[3]
For more than 150 years, the park developed its characteristic vegetation, spurred by planting campaigns from the citizens. In 1930, this project was halted when the government decided to locate the country's first international airport within the park area. La Sabana International Airport functioned for 44 years until the opening of the current Juan Santamaría International Airport.[4]
During the decade of the 1960s, the idea of turning
Landmarks
La Sabana Metropolitan Park's most prominent buildings are the country's national stadium and the Costa Rican Art Museum (Museo de Arte Costarricense). Both are sited within the park's green space. The stadium is located above the old stadium's former location.[5] The art museum is housed in the former main building of 'old' La Sabana Airport.[6]
A large
References
- ^ La Sabana Metro Park article Archived 2009-04-19 at the Wayback Machine. Instituto Costarricense del Deporte (ICODER) website.
- ^ Josefino parks and plazas on celebrations. Al Día Newspaper website.
- ^ a b c d La Sabana Metro Park History Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine — Executive Decree 29305-C, dated February 23, 2001. Consejo Nacional de la Persona Adulta Mayor (CONAPAM) website.
- ^ La Sabana Airport History Archived 2009-03-16 at the Wayback Machine. Costa Rican Art Museum website.
- ^ New National Stadium Article. Informa-Tico, Digital Newspaper.
- ^ La Sabana Airport History Archived 2009-03-16 at the Wayback Machine. Costa Rican Art Museum website.