San Pedro: History and Orientation

San Pedro offers several clearly named landmarks for planning your trip: the Mercado municipal and the Parque Central de San Pedro de Poás, as well as the San Pedro Apóstol parish and the Casa de la Cultura building. The information combines practical local orientation with religious and architectural history. If you are planning a stay, you can first decide whether you are looking for a geographic reference point or are interested in historical topics. The market, parish, and former school building each represent a different kind of landmark.

Getting your bearings at Parque Central

The Mercado municipal is 75 meters north of Parque Central de San Pedro de Poás. The park is therefore a named landmark that can help you determine the direction of the market. For precise directions, you can confirm the information locally, especially if you are including the market in your day’s plans.

Religious history at two points in time

The religious history includes two facts referring to different points in time. An initial hermitage was built in 1837 at a place then called San Pedro de la Calabaza. The parish of San Pedro Apóstol in San Pedro, Poás, was founded in 1862. The dates refer to two events: the construction of a hermitage and the founding of a parish. The place name San Pedro de la Calabaza is the name used for the place at the time, while the parish is dated by its year of founding.

There are 25 years between the construction of the hermitage in 1837 and the founding of the parish in 1862. The Casa de la Cultura’s designation in 1987 took place 125 years after the parish was founded. These intervals place the information on a timeline; they refer to different events.

The former school as a historical landmark

The Casa de la Cultura de San Pedro de Poás building was formerly the Pedro-Aguirre-Cerda School. On June 19, 1987, it was declared an object of historical and architectural interest. Two aspects therefore go hand in hand: its former use as a school is part of the building’s history, while the date establishes when it was declared to be of historical and architectural interest. If you are planning a visit, check access in advance.

Place names and choosing a hotel

The place names also serve different purposes. San Pedro de la Calabaza refers to the place at the time of the hermitage; San Pedro, Poás is used for the parish. The name San Pedro de Poás is associated with Parque Central and the Casa de la Cultura building. When noting names as you plan your trip, make a note of the relevant landmark as well.

Discover more destinations: Tigra, Los Chiles, San Ramón De Los Palmares, Ánimas, La Vieja, Cascajal, Guácima, Upala

For the broader travel overview: Alajuela.